The 2022 Commonwealth Games will run from 29 July to 8 August, airing on Channel Seven, 7mate, and 7plus.
Three of Australia’s greatest athletes – Ian Thorpe, Cate Campbell and Curtis McGrath – will headline the Seven Network’s commentary team in Birmingham 2022.
Bruce McAvaney will be back for his fifth Commonwealth Games, broadcasting from the UK alongside three-time Australian Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Tamsyn Lewis-Manou.
Seven’s broadcast hosting team will be led by Hamish McLachlan and Abbey Gelmi and will feature Matt Shirvington, Emma Freedman, Johanna Griggs, Abbey Holmes, Ryan Daniels and Trent Copeland.
Mel McLaughlin, Jason Richardson, Amy Parks and Matt Carmichael will be joined on the ground in Birmingham by Olympic and Commonwealth swimming great, Cate Campbell.
Hosts
Hamish McLachlan
Hamish is one of Australia’s most experienced broadcasters, having hosted and commentated on a wide range of sports including the Olympic Games, AFL, horse racing, tennis and Commonwealth Games. He will co-host Seven’s prime-time coverage of Birmingham each night alongside Abbey Gelmi.
Abbey Gelmi
The granddaughter of Australian middle-distance great Herb Elliott, Abbey has presented across the Seven Network’s Olympics, AFL, cricket, horse racing and Brownlow Medal coverage. Following her first Olympic Games coverage for Tokyo 2020, Abbey will return to Seven’s prime-time coverage of Birmingham 2022 alongside Hamish McLachlan from 7.00pm daily AEST.
Seven’s Abbey Gelmi Hamish McLachlan
Johanna Griggs
Johanna represented Australia in swimming at the Auckland Commonwealth Games in 1990, winning bronze in the 100m backstroke, before becoming a popular TV personality on Australian screens. Johanna has been part of Seven’s coverage of most major sporting events, including the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, tennis and horse racing, as well as hosting Better Homes and Gardens. Johanna will welcome viewers on air from 3.00pm daily AEST.
Johanna Griggs
Matt Shirvington
Matt represented Australia at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, the 1998 and 2006 Commonwealth Games and seven World Championships in track and field. A key member of the 7News, Sunrise and 7Sport teams, “Shirvo” recently hosted the afternoon coverage of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics for the network. Matt will co-host the early morning shift, from 3.30am daily AEST.
Matt Shirvington
Emma Freedman
Emma is a television and radio presenter with extensive experience across a wide range of sports. She anchored Seven’s morning coverage of the Tokyo Games on 7mate, as well as regularly joining Seven’s horse racing coverage and the Supercars Bathurst 1000 team. Emma will co-host the early morning shift, alongside Matt Shirvington.
Emma Freedman
Abbey Holmes
A late convert to football after a promising netball career, Abbey led the NTFL’s goalkicking table and won a premiership in her first four seasons, memorably becoming the first woman to kick 100 goals in a season in 2013-14. An Adelaide premiership player in the AFLW’s inaugural 2017 season, Abbey joined Seven’s AFLW and AFL coverage, both as an expert and field commentator, and featured prominently in last year’s AFL Grand Final coverage in Perth.
Abbey Holmes
Ryan Daniels
Ryan began his media career with Seven in 2007, working in a range of roles before joining the sports team full-time in 2010. He has always been obsessed with sports, keeping notes of statistics and facts on everything from football to basketball to badminton. During his time at Seven, Ryan has covered multiple AFL Grand Finals and is a nine-time winner at the WA Football Awards. Ryan stepped into the role of 7News Perth Sports Presenter earlier this year.
Ryan Daniels
Mel McLaughlin
Mel is a sports anchor and live-to-air broadcaster who has covered a host of major international sporting events, including both summer and winter Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, the FIFA World Cup, tennis and most recently the 2021-22 Ashes series. Mel will be joined by Jason Richardson to present Seven’s Birmingham live show Brum Drum, each night from 11.00pm AEST.
Mel McLaughlin
Jason Richardson
“Richo” is a Stawell Gift race winner who has carved out a broadcasting career with Seven. He has hosted and commentated on various events including the Australian Open tennis, the past two Olympic Games, the Spring Racing Carnival, the Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022 and the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Jason Richardson with Lisa Sthalekar.
Mark Beretta
Mark, or “Beretts” as he’s more affectionately known, is one of Australia’s best known sports commentators. He has covered every major Australian and international sporting event in a career spanning three decades, including every Summer and Winter Olympic Games Seven has covered since 1996, the AFL, Australian Open tennis and the Supercars. For the past 18 years, Mark has been a member of Sunrise, keeping viewers up to date with all the latest sport headlines from Australia and around the world. He is also a 10-time Australian water ski champion.
Mark Beretta
Annabelle Williams
During her swimming career, Annie captained the Australian Paralympic swim team, broke five world records and won numerous medals for Australia, including gold at the Paralympic Games London 2012.
Annabelle Williams
Trent Copeland
The New South Wales fast bowling great, who also played three Tests for Australia, joined Seven’s cricket coverage commentary team in the 2018-19 international summer. The man more affectionately known as “Copes” will jump in the hosting chair across 7plus programming for Birmingham 2022.
Trent Copeland
Commentators
Bruce McAvaney
An iconic sports broadcaster, Bruce is recognised on the world stage. In recognition of his career, Bruce was honoured with the Melbourne Press Club Lifetime Achievement Award last year and was inducted into the TV Week Logies Hall of Fame in June this year. This followed his induction into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2002, and a Medal of the Order of Australia that same year.
Bruce McAvaney
Ian Thorpe
Ian is Australia’s most successful Olympian and Commonwealth Games athlete, having won a record five gold medals at Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004. At 15, he became the youngest male world champion when he won gold in the 400m freestyle at the 1998 World Championships. He would add 13 long-course world records and win 11 gold medals at the World Championships as well as 10 gold medals at the Commonwealth Games.
Ian Thorpe
Curtis McGrath
Curtis is an Australian para-canoeist and former soldier. He took up canoeing competitively after both of his legs were amputated as a result of a mine blast while serving with the Australian Army in Afghanistan. He won consecutive gold medals in the Men’s KL2 at the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Paralympics and has won 10 gold medals and a silver at ICF Paracanoe World Championships between 2014 and 2019.
Curtis McGrath
Tamsyn Lewis-Manou
A three-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist and winner of 18 Australian Championships at 400m, 800m and 400m hurdles, Tamsyn will be Bruce McAvaney’s wing woman in commentary at the track and field in Birmingham, adding her analysis to one of the biggest events on the Games calendar.
Tamsyn Lewis-Manou
Cate Campbell
One of Australia’s most decorated members of the Dolphins swimming team, Cate is a current multiple world record holder and has won a total of six Olympic medals, including three gold between 2008 and 2020. She was one of two flagbearers for Australia at the Tokyo Games in 2020, alongside basketballer Patty Mills.
Cate Campbell
Basil Zempilas
Basil presents across TV, radio, and sport as well as being elected Lord Mayor of Perth in 2020. He presented sport until 2022 on 7News in Perth, and from January 2014 to December 2020 he co-hosted Perth radio station 6PR’s breakfast show with Steve Mills. He is also a member of Seven’s AFL football commentary team and has represented the network in commentary at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.
Basil Zempilas
Lisa Sthalekar
The former Australian women’s cricket captain carved out a career as an all-rounder which saw her named Australian Women’s Cricketer of the Year in 2007 and 2008. Since retiring in 2013, Lisa has made a transition to the commentary box, bringing her inside knowledge of the women’s game.
Lisa Sthalekar
Alison Mitchell
Alison brings her sports broadcasting skills to Seven’s telecast from Birmingham, leading coverage of the Cricket T20. A member of Seven’s Cricket broadcast team, her experience also includes Olympic and Commonwealth Games, Wimbledon, Australian Open and French Open tennis, as well as Open Golf. She was the first woman to become a regular commentator on the BBC’s Test Match Special and the first woman to have called men’s cricket ball-by-ball on ABC Radio Grandstand in Australia.
Alison Mitchell
Alister Nicholson
Alister has emerged as one of Australian sport’s most recognisable voices over the past decade, both as an ABC Grandstand commentator on cricket and AFL. While he has been a popular member of Seven’s BBL commentary team in recent years, his broadcasting experience extends to the NRL, Commonwealth Games, Australia’s major golf tournaments and the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. For Birmingham 2022, he will be calling the hockey.
Alister Nicholson
Georgie Parker
Georgie is a television presenter with experience across multiple sports, including Seven’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games coverage and the AFL. She is a former member of the Australian women’s hockey team, claiming a Commonwealth Games gold medal in 2014. Georgie will call the hockey alongside Alister Nicholson.
Georgie Parker
David Culbert
A long jump finalist at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona and two-time silver medallist at the Commonwealth Games, Dave has established himself as a renowned Olympic Games broadcaster and will provide commentary for the athletics at this year’s Games.
David Culbert
Matt Hill
Matt is a race caller and sports broadcaster. Recognised throughout the industry for his flair, commitment, and accuracy, he has honed his skills over many years calling sports from horse racing to greyhound racing, tennis, AFL, the Olympic Games and more. Matt will call various events including athletics, triathlon and para-triathlon at Birmingham 2022.
Matt Hill
Scott McGrory
An Australian cyclist and sportscaster, Scott won gold in the Madison at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. He will be ready to carry that knowledge and emotion into his speedskating commentary for Birmingham.
Paul Van Der Ploeg
Paul is a former professional bike rider who won several national championships in the mountain bike and Cyclo-cross disciplines, along with the 2011 World Cup Sprint Eliminator in England and the 2013 XCE World Championship in South Africa. Paul will provide his expert insights to the mountain bike competition in Birmingham.
Paul Van Der Ploeg
Phil Liggett
Phil has a 54-year career covering international cycling. This year he will cover his 50th Tour de France, while Tokyo 2020 was his 16th Olympic Games. Among professional accolades, Phil was named a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2005 for services to cycling and inducted into the British Cycling Hall of Fame in 2009. For Birmingham, he will join Scott McGrory to cover all the action of the Time Trial and Road Race.
Phil Liggett
Jon Harker
Over more than 35 years, Jon has forged a media career, working as a journalist, host and commentator across TV, radio, and print media. Jon has vast commentary experience at the Olympic Games and during Birmingham will give voice to the action across boxing events.
Harry Garside
Harry Garside won gold in the men’s 60kg weight division at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, before taking home a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Garside has embraced unique training methods such as ballet, karaoke and army training into his training routine, which ultimately paid off when he was selected as a member of the Australian team for Tokyo 2020. Harry will step behind the microphone alongside Jon Harker to call the boxing at Birmingham 2022.
Harry Garside
Kate Bates
Kate is a former Australian track and road cyclist, a multiple national champion and the Commonwealth Games champion in 2002 and 2006. She competed in both track and road cycling at the Olympic Games, finishing fourth in the individual pursuit at the 2004 Summer Olympics and sixth in the points race at the 2008 Summer Olympics. She retired in December 2011 due to injury and has since worked as a freelance TV commentator and host. She has covered World Championships, Olympic Games, Tour de France and other National and World Tour cycling events for Seven and SBS.
Kate Bates
Liz Chetkovic
Liz is the voice of world gymnastics. Her in-depth knowledge and experience as a high-performance coach and community sport advisor is evident in her commentary, showcased at Olympic and Commonwealth Games. She will lead Seven’s gymnastics commentary at Birmingham 2022.
Catherine Cox
As a 16-year veteran of the Australian Diamonds, Catherine won gold medals at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and the 2007 and 2011 World Netball Championships and captained her country on seven occasions, leading the team to victory at the 2011 Constellation Cup.
Catherine Cox
Sue Gaudion
Sue Gaudion is a media personality with experience in radio and television. Never short of a story, Sue is a genuine entertainer. She will call the netball during Seven’s coverage of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Sue Gaudion
Greg Clark
The voice of rugby in Australia, Greg’s calling career has spanned more than 20 years, over 200 Test matches and countless Super Rugby classics. Greg will bring his trademark accuracy and commentary style to the Rugby 7s.
Greg Clark
Matt Mitcham
One of Australia’s most decorated divers, Matt Mitcham will call the diving Birmingham 2022. Originally a trampoline gymnast, Matt rewrote the history books when he became the first Australian male diver to win an Olympic gold medal in 84 years, and only the second ever, when he won the 10 metre platform at Beijing in 2008.
Matt Mitcham
Tiana Penitani
Tiana captained Australia to the gold medal in Rugby 7s at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, having a year earlier become the youngest player ever to represent Australia at a Rugby World Cup in the 7s tournament in Russia. In 2019, Tiana switched to rugby league and currently plays for the St George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL Women’s Premiership. She will commentate on all the Rugby Sevens action in Birmingham.
Tiana Penitani
Aaron Royle
Aaron Royle joins Seven’s Birmingham 2022 commentary team to call Triathlon events, after a successful career in the sport. He made his Olympic debut at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, and gave Australia its first dual top ten finish in men’s triathlon history with fellow team member Ryan Bailie at Fort Copacabana, where he was the first out of the water.
Aaron Royle