With the countdown on to the rescheduled Tokyo Olympic Games this summer, CBC/Radio-Canada has unveiled highlights of its upcoming round-the-clock coverage and the broadcast team who’ll deliver it.
Featuring a record 33 sports and 339 medal events across 42 competition venues, Tokyo 2020 officially begins on Friday, July 23 at 7 a.m. ET (4 a.m. PT) with the Opening Ceremony hosted by CBC Sports veteran Scott Russell and The National’s Adrienne Arsenault.
CBC will broadcast 23 hours of daily live coverage throughout the games. Programming highlights include:
OLYMPIC GAMES PRIMETIME hosted by Scott Russell
7 p.m. – 12 midnight ET (4 p.m. – 9 p.m. PT)
Having covered 14 Olympic Games for CBC, five as host, veteran broadcaster Scott Russell brings that experience and knowledge to the Olympic Games Primetime block. The nightly staple will focus on medal moments across key sports, including swimming, athletics, marathons, rowing, canoe/kayak, golf and team sport round robin play.
OLYMPIC GAMES OVERNIGHT hosted by Alexandre Despatie and Heather Hiscox
12 a.m. – 6 a.m. ET (9 p.m. – 3 a.m. PT)
CBC News Network anchor Heather Hiscox makes her debut as Olympic Games co-host, after contributing to the past eight Olympics on CBC as a reporter and host. She’ll host alongside Canada’s most decorated male diver, two-time Olympic Games silver medallist and three-time World Champion Alexandre Despatie who returns for his fourth appearance as Olympic Games co-host on CBC. The late night show will focus on diving, tennis, gymnastics, trampoline, cycling, soccer and team sport round robin play.
OLYMPIC GAMES MORNING hosted by Andi Petrillo
6 a.m. – 12 p.m. ET (3 – 9 a.m. PT)
Returning for her fourth Olympic Games on CBC as host, Andi Petrillo brings knowledge of both the athletes and the game to whatever sport she’s covering. Petrillo will provide audiences with overnight updates, medal talk and athlete interviews, focusing on team sports gold medals, including volleyball, basketball and baseball, athletics finals and swim heats.
TOKYO TODAY hosted by Perdita Felicien and Andrew Chang
12 – 6 p.m. ET (9 a.m. – 3 p.m. PT)
New to CBC’s host desk is two-time Olympian and World Champion hurdler Perdita Felicien who teams up with The National’s Andrew Chang for Tokyo Today. The daily program will provide audiences with the major storylines of the day, athlete profiles and previews of upcoming events. Felicien is no stranger to the Olympic Games stage having competed in Sydney and Athens, and covering the past three Games as part of the CBC Olympics broadcast team. Meanwhile, Chang returns to the studio desk for his third Olympic Games as co-host.
In addition to the TV broadcasts, audiences will be able to stay connected via CBC’s dedicated Olympic Games website and app as well as CBC Gem, which will livestream broadcasts, including the opening and closing ceremonies and non-TV events, accounting for more than 2,500 hours of live coverage. CBC Kids will also provide coverage online leading up to and throughout the 16-day competition.
The Tokyo Games include the introduction of five new sports, including Skateboarding, Surfing, Sport Climbing, Karate, Baseball and Softball. CBC has yet to name full broadcast teams for most of those sports, but has recruited Chris de Sousa Costa, a member of the Canadian National Karate Team from 2004-15, as an analyst for karate. Kimanda Jarzebiak, Chair of the Boulders Climbing Gym in Central Saanich, BC, will serve as an analyst for Sport Climbing, while Alison Bradley, a two-time Olympian and member of the Canadian Women’s National Softball Team from 2001-08, will be an analyst for Softball, alongside Lance Winn.
REPORTERS
Charlsie Agro
Valerie-Micaela Bain
Jean-Patrick Balleaux
Anastasia Bucsis
Yanick Bourdon
Antoine Deshaies
Alexandre Gascon
Devin Heroux
Sonali Karnick
Craig McMorris
Summer Mortimer
Michael Roy
Jamie Strashin
Marivel Taruc
Kim Valliere
Kelly VanderBeek
COMMENTATORS & ANALYSTS
Athletics
Commentator: Mark Lee
Analysts: Michael Smith & David Moorcroft
Basketball
Commentator: Dan Shulman
Analyst: Meghan McPeak
Basketball (3×3)
Commentator: Peter Ruttgaizer
Analyst: Michael Linklater
Beach Volleyball
Commentator: Claire Hannah
Analyst: Mark Heese
Canoe/Kayak Slalom
Commentator: Matt Cullen
Analyst: John Hastings
Canoe/Kayak Sprint
Commentator: Steve Armitage
Analyst: Karen Furneaux
Cycling – Mountain Bike
Commentator: Mark Connolly
Analyst: Lesley Tomlinson
Cycling – Road
Commentator: Mark Connolly
Analysts: Richard Wooles & Lesley Tomlinson
Cycling – Track
Commentator: Mark Connolly
Analyst: Richard Wooles
Diving
Commentator: Mitch Peacock
Analyst: Blythe Hartley
Equestrian Show Jumping
Commentator: Bruce Rainnie
Analyst: Deanna Phelan
Field Hockey
Commentator: Victor Findlay
Analyst: Scott Sandison
Golf
Commentator: Doug Dirks
Gymnastics – Artistic & Trampoline
Commentator: Brenda Irving
Analyst: Kyle Shewfelt
Judo
Commentator: Karin Larsen
Analyst: Josh Hagen
Karate
Commentator: TBC
Analyst: Chris de Sousa Costa
Marathons
Commentator: Scott Russell
Analyst: Krista DuChene
Marathon Swimming
Commentator: TBC
Analyst: Lisa Bentley
Race Walks
Commentator: TBC
Analyst: Lisa Bentley
Rowing
Commentator: Steve Armitage
Analyst: Adam Kreek
Rugby 7s
Commentator: Nigel Reed
Analysts: Andrea Burk & Phil Mackenzie
Soccer
Commentator: Nigel Reed
Analyst: Dr. Clare Rustad
Softball
Commentator: Lance Winn
Analyst: Alison Bradley
Sport Climbing
Commentator: TBC
Analyst: Kimanda Jarzebiak
Swimming
Commentator: TBC
Analyst: Byron MacDonald
Tennis
Commentator: Bruce Rainnie
Analyst: Robert Bettauer
Triathlon
Commentator: TBC
Analyst: Barrie Shepley
Volleyball
Commentator: Rob Snoek
Analyst: Paul Duerden
Water Polo
Commentator: Signa Butler
Analyst: George Gross Jr.
Wrestling
Commentator: Karin Larsen
Analyst: Carol Hunyh
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