On the biggest stage, you simply can’t make a mistake.
None of the runners in the brilliant 100 metre final did. But unfortunately an Aussie can’t say the same.
American TV commentator Leigh Diffey made the unfortunate decision to declare a winner immediately after the photo finish between American Noah Lyles and Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson.
And he didn’t even go with the local guy.
“There’s an Olympic gold medal waiting for somebody,” Diffey said as the race began.
“Who wants it the most?… Now Thompson starts to wind up… Kerley’s going with him… This is close… Jamaica’s gonna do it! Kishane Thompson is a gold medallist!”
Diffey’s co-commentator Ato Boldon added, as they waited for the decision: “Visually we think he got it. They’re working on the photo.”
However it took another 20 seconds for the review to confirm Lyles had actually won gold by a nose.
Australian caller Gerard Whateley instead played it safe, waiting until confirmation of the winner to declare a gold medallist.
Diffey is a veteran sports caller, previously working for Channel Ten including as the host of Sports Tonight before moving to the UK and USA, and is now an American citizen.
DISASTER AS REIGNING CHAMP HOSPITALISED DAYS BEFORE EVENT
Reigning men’s high jump champion Gianmaro Tamberi has been struck down with a suspected kidney problem just three days before he is due to compete in Paris.
The 32-year-old Italian was part of one of the Olympics’ most iconic moments when he decided to share gold with Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barsham in Tokyo, rather than go to a jump-off for the win.
But with the men’s qualification for this year’s high jump competition beginning at 6.05pm AEST on Wednesday night, Tamberi is in hospital and was forced to miss his flight to Paris.
He wrote on Instagram (translated from Italian) “Unbelievable… This can’t be true.”
He added: “ER, TAC, ultrasound, blood work…. Probable kidney stone.
“And now I find myself, 3 days before the race for which I sacrificed everything, lying in a bed, helpless, with 38.8 fever…
“I was supposed to be leaving for Paris today to begin my journey toward this big dream, and instead I’ve been advised to postpone the flight until tomorrow in the hopes that with some rest this nightmare will be over.
“All I can do is wait and pray.. I don’t deserve all this, I did everything for this Olympics, everything. I really dont deserve it.
“One thing is certain, I don’t know how I’ll get there, but I’ll be on that plateau and I’ll give my soul until my last jump, whatever my condition is. I swear to you but even before I swear to myself!”
Source Agencies
