Tokyo Olympics News: Leigh Diffey to Give Play by Play

Leigh Diffey, a versatile talent known for his enthusiastic play-by-play commentary on ‘speed sports,’ has been named the play-by-play voice of NBC Olympics’ track & field coverage for this summer’s Tokyo Olympics, it was announced today.

The track & field role marks Diffey’s fourth NBC Olympics assignment. Previously, he called the fastest events at the 2014 Sochi and 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics – bobsled, skeleton, and luge – and handled rowing at the 2016 Rio Olympics. In addition, he has called track & field events for NBC Sports since 2013, including the 2019 World Track & Field Championships, as well as U.S. National Championships, Prefontaine Classics, and Diamond League events.

Diffey, who joined NBC Sports in 2013, is one of the prolific voices in motorsports as the lead play-by-play commentator for INDYCAR, IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, MotoGP and Supercross coverage. He has also called NASCAR for NBC Sports. This Sunday, May 30 at 11 a.m. ET on NBC, Diffey calls the Indianapolis 500 for the third time.

“Leigh has been an excellent addition to our track & field team, and we look forward to him joining our all-star roster this summer,” said Rebecca Chatman, Vice President and Coordinating Producer of NBC Olympics production. “With so many exciting calls in the Olympics and at the racetrack, we expect Leigh will match the moment of some of the Games’ most thrilling and anticipated events.”

Joining Diffey on NBC Olympics’ track & field coverage this summer in Tokyo is an impressive roster that has totaled 10 Olympic medals:

Ato Boldon is NBC Sports Group’s lead track & field analyst, and returns for his sixth NBC Olympics assignment. He made his Olympic broadcast debut as a track & field analyst at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, a role he continued for the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics. Boldon also served as a correspondent at the last two Winter Olympics. In 1992, he represented Trinidad and Tobago in the 100m and 200m competitions at the Barcelona Olympics. At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Boldon won bronze medals in the 100m and 200m events. Four years later, at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, he won a silver medal in the 100m, and a bronze in the 200m.

Kara Goucher, who competed in the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics as a long-distance runner, makes her NBC Olympics debut as a distance analyst. Goucher joined the NBC Sports team earlier this spring on coverage of the Drake Relays and Oregon Relays. Goucher competed in both the 5000m and 10,000 meters at the 2008 Olympics, and the marathon at the 2012 Games. In addition, she won a silver medal in the 10,000 at the 2007 World Track & Field Championships and placed third at both the 2008 New York City Marathon and 2009 Boston Marathon.

Trey Hardee, a two-time Olympic decathlete who won a silver medal at the 2012 London Games, serves as an NBC Olympics analyst for the second time after serving in the same capacity in Rio in 2016. A two-time world outdoor gold medalist, Hardee ranks number four all time among American decathletes – behind only Ashton Eaton, Dan O’ Brien and Bryan Clay – with a personal best of 8,790, which he set in Berlin in 2009.

In his 11th NBC Olympics assignment, Lewis Johnson reprises his role as a track & field reporter after serving in the same capacity for the prior three Summer Olympics. Johnson has been a part of NBC Olympics’ track & field coverage since 2000, serving as an analyst for the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Olympics. At the past two Winter Games, he was a bobsled/luge/skeleton reporter. Johnson, who joined NBC Sports in 1999, was an 800m track & field All-American and competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1988 and 1992 during his seven-year international professional career. He holds an Honorary Doctorate of Letters Degree from the University of Cincinnati, honoring his athletic and broadcasting achievements. Following this summer’s Olympics, Johnson will serve in the same capacity at the Tokyo Paralympics, marking his fifth consecutive Paralympic assignment.

Sanya Richards-Ross, a four-time Olympic gold medalist, serves as an NBC Olympics track & field analyst for the second time after joining Team NBC at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Long-ranked the world’s best 400m runner, Richards-Ross won individual 400m Olympic gold at the 2012 London Games and three 4x400m relay golds for Team USA in 2004, 2008, and 2012. In addition, she was a six-time world champion, earning two individual 400m titles and four as a member of winning 4x400m relay teams. Considered one of the world’s fastest women, she is the American record-holder in the 400m and posted eight of the top 10 times in U.S. history in the event. Earlier this month, Richards-Ross served as a fashion and lifestyle correspondent in her first Kentucky Derby assignment with NBC Sports.

Paul Swangard makes his NBC Olympics debut, calling field events including the high jump, shot put and pole vault. The voice of the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field, Swangard has called multiple track & field competitions since joining NBC Sports in 2015, including the Millrose Games, Boston Marathon, and Diamond League events. He served as the in-stadium English-language announcer for track & field at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Track & field at the Tokyo Olympics will be produced by Betsy Riley and directed by Charlie DammeyerScott Karpen is a co-producer. In her eighth NBC Olympics assignment, Riley becomes the first woman to serve as the lead producer of Olympic track & field.

ABOUT NBC OLYMPICS

A division of NBC Sports Group, NBC Olympics is responsible for producing, programming and promoting NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. NBC Olympics is renowned for its unsurpassed Olympic heritage, award-winning production, and ability to aggregate the largest audiences in U.S. television history. NBCUniversal owns the U.S. media rights on all platforms to all Olympic Games through 2032. NBC Olympics also produces thousands of hours of Olympic sports programming throughout the year, which is presented on NBC, NBCSN, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, Peacock and NBC Sports digital platforms.

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