SBS airs IAAF Championships live from Osaka

SBS is sending eight presenters to Osaka, Japan, to cover the IAAF Championships.

It will air an array of events live in prime time between August 25 and September 2.

Les Murray will be joined by emma Simkin, David Basheer, Jane Fleming, David Culbert and
Steve Ovett.

Australia finished seventh in the medal tally at the last games.

212 countries will compete on this occasion.

Press Release:

As the world counts down to the Beijing 2008 Olympics, international athletics stars continue their preparation as they focus on their next major campaign, the prestigious IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Osaka 2007.

SBS will broadcast all the daily action LIVE from Japan in PRIME-TIME as Australia challenges the world’s best from 25 August to 2 September on free-to-air television.

The calibre of Australian athletes is high with strong medal contenders including: Bronwyn Thompson (long jump), Donna MacFarlane (3000 steeplechase), John Steffensen (400m), Sarah Jamieson (1500m), Steve Hooker (Pole Vault), Jana Rawlinson (400m hurdles), Craig Mottram (5000m) and Nathan Deakes (50km walk). Whilst Australia is looking to produce some excellent results in Osaka, the team’s overall goal is to improve on their best ever result from 1999 where Australia placed seventh and, with recent strong performances throughout the domestic and European seasons, the Aussies are on track to realise their dream.

The IAAF World Championships in Athletics is where the best of the best in international athletics compete on the world stage.

“An impressive 212 countries and territories and over 3,200 athletes and officials are expected to take part in this landmark event and SBS’s expert presentation team will be trackside to bring all the success and drama to Australian audiences,” said SBS Head of Sport, Ken Shipp.

SBS will send an experienced presentation contingent to Osaka to cover the World Championships, including the face of SBS Sport, Les Murray, athletics specialist and sports presenter, Emma Simkin, and commentator David Basheer.

Joining the SBS team in Osaka is dual Olympian Jane Flemming, former Australian long jumper, David Culbert, and English athletics legend Steve Ovett, providing expert commentary to the LIVE coverage.

Also LIVE from Osaka, Janice Petersen will present the sports segment for World News Australia and SBS Sports Reporter, Scott McIntyre, will utilise his experience of living in Japan and fluency in the language to bring entertaining and informative reports from the exciting city of Osaka.

At 7.30pm (AEST) each evening from 25 August David Basheer will present the highlights from the morning session, the previous night’s finals plus all the news and updates from Osaka.

Les Murray will anchor the prime-time EXCLUSIVELY LIVE coverage of the evening program from 8.30pm (AEST) and Emma Simkin will bring us the early morning distance events also LIVE.