Legendary sports presenter Bruce McAvaney is set to join up with SBS to lead the network’s coverage of the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
The 71-year-old, who has worked on 12 summer Olympic Games and multiple World Athletics Championships, began working in television back in 1978, before heading to Moscow to call his first summer games.
During his distinguished career, McAvaney would call some epic moments in sporting history, including Carl Lewis’ record-breaking 100m final run at the 1991 World Championships, as well as Cathy Freeman’s 400m triumph in Sydney in 2000.
After working as the chief sports presenter for Seven News in Adelaide he would go on to join Channel Ten, where Mcavaney worked on track and field events at the 1984 Olympics.
McAvaney, who hails from Adelaide, would return to work for Seven in 1989, where he would go on to call cricket, AFL, the Australian Open and Rugby World Cup matches.
It comes after the presenter struck up a deal to return to Channel Seven’s AFL coverage for the 2025 season, and is showing no sign of slowing down.
Legendary sports broadcaster Bruce McAvaney (right, pictured with sprinter Gout Gout) is set to join up with SBS for their coverage of the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo
The legendary commentator, 71, had returned to present Channel 7’s AFL coverage this year
The broadcaster admitted his delight at the news that he’ll be working on September’s World Athletics Championships adding that he was grateful to SBS for giving him the opportunity to call the event.
‘We’ll be bringing the best in the world to an Australian audience, and highlighting our great Australian athletes,’ McAvaney said.
‘I’ve never been more excited by the prospects of the Australian athletics team, not even before the Sydney Olympics. This team has everything – established champions, great young sprinters and incredible middle-distance talent.
‘And then there’s Gout Gout – a generational talent who has become a global phenomenon in the last year. I can’t wait to see how he goes, racing against the big names of world sprinting for the first time.
‘He’s just at the start of a fantastic journey, which seems destined to go all the way to the summit of his sport. I urge all Australians to get on board now and be part of what will be an amazing ride towards the Brisbane Olympics in 2032.
‘It’s a privilege and an honour to commentate on the World Championships and I’d like to thank SBS for giving me that opportunity, and the Seven Network for their support. You might have heard me say this before, but this is going to be special.’
SBS are set to broadcast every session of the nine-day event via SBS VIELAND and the World Athletics Championships Hub through SBS On Demand.
It comes at an exciting time for Australian athletics, with several rising stars coming through the ranks just in time for the event.
McAvaney had also commentated on the final day of the 2025 Stawell Gift earlier this week
Several exciting young Aussie stars, including Gout Gout, could be set to compete at the Athletics Championships in September, including sprint sensation Gout Gout (pictured)
Olympic gold medallist Nina Kennedy is due toalso feature this September after her triumph in Paris
Seventeen-year-old sensation Gout Gout has caught the eye of many with his rapid sprint times. While Lachlan Kennedy starred at last month’s World Athletics indoor Championships in Nanjing, picking up silver in the 60m sprint.
Meanwhile, pole vaulting sensation Nina Kennedy, who won gold in Paris, Jess Hull who took silver at the 2024 Olympics in the 1500m and world indoor high jump champion Nicola Olyslagers are all set to return to action this September.
‘SBS has broadcast 10 editions of the World Athletics Championships since 2001 and we’re thrilled to have a commentator of Bruce’s stature join us for this year’s historic championships in Tokyo,’ SBS director of sport Ken Shipp said.
‘We have a well-earned reputation for broadcasting outstanding global events, including the FIFA World Cup and the Tour de France, and we’re looking forward to adding the McAvaney magic to our comprehensive coverage of this year’s World Championships.’
