My friend Matt Yoder at Awful Announcing had this first today and now NBC has officially confirmed the assignments of three Olympic correspondents for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, a warm weather city in Russia that averages 50 degrees in February.
Olympic veterans Mary Carillo and Cris Collinsworth return to offer features, interviews and in particular for Collinsworth, his patented “Aw shucks” reports that rarely add to the broadcasts.
Carillo usually does reports on the culture of the country which totally contrast to her HBO Real Sports reports. However, as Awful Announcing stated today, Carillo will lead a documentary on Tonya “Ton-Ton” Harding and Nancy Kerrigan for the 20th anniversary of the infamous “WHY? WHY? WHY?” knee whacking incident that led to CBS’ tremendous ratings for the 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. Kerrigan will be interviewed for that documentary.
Ato Boldon who has been a fixture on Summer Olympics coverage as an excellent track analyst will spread out to cover Winter Games for the first time.
They join the previously announced Nastia Liukin and Maria Sharapova as correspondents for Sochi.
We expect that highly anticipated announcement that Carson Daly and Ryan Seacrest will co-host the Opening Ceremony and the Olympic Flame Lighting (kidding … well maybe not).
Here’s NBC’s announcement.
MARY CARILLO, CRIS COLLINSWORTH & ATO BOLDON TO JOIN NBC OLYMPICS IN SOCHI AS CORRESPONDENTS
Stamford, Conn. – December 4, 2013 – NBC Olympics announced today that Mary Carillo, Cris Collinsworth and Ato Boldon will serve as correspondents for its coverage of the 2014 Sochi Winter Games, offering insights and commentary on the Olympics.
“We’re excited to have Mary, Cris and Ato, accomplished athletes and broadcasters, offer a unique perspective on the Winter Games while also telling the stories about the athletes and host country that make the Games so special,” said Jim Bell, Executive Producer, NBC Olympics.
The trio joins previously announced correspondent Maria Sharapova, a Sochi native and winner of four Grand Slam singles crowns and a silver medal for Russia in women’s singles at the 2012 London Olympics.
More commentators will be announced in the coming weeks.
Following is a closer look at NBC Olympics’ newly announced Sochi correspondents:
ATO BOLDON: A four-time Olympic medalist and NBC Sports Group’s lead track and field analyst, Boldon makes his Winter Olympics debut in Sochi. Boldon made his Olympic broadcast debut as a track and field analyst during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and reprised his role at the 2012 London Olympics. Boldon was nominated for a Sports Emmy Award for “Outstanding Sports Personality” – a first for a track and field analyst – for his work at and leading up to the 2012 London Olympics.
MARY CARILLO: Sochi marks Carillo’s 12th Olympic assignment overall and ninth for NBC. She will continue her work presenting vignettes about the people, culture and history of the host country, stylized snapshots that bring viewers unique perspective on the place the world is visiting for two weeks. In addition, Carillo will serve as host and interviewer for a documentary on former Olympic figure skaters Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding, featuring an exclusive interview of Kerrigan, which will air during NBC Olympics’ Sochi Winter Games coverage. At prior Olympics for NBC, Carillo served as late night host and correspondent at the 2012 London Olympics, 2010 Vancouver Olympics and 2008 Beijing Olympics. At the 2006 Winter Games in Torino, Carillo hosted Olympic Ice, a daily figure skating show on USA Network. At the 2004 Athens Games, Carillo earned critical acclaim in her debut as a full-time Olympic host on Bravo’s coverage. She also anchored USA Network’s live coverage of the gold medal tennis matches in Athens. During NBC’s coverage of the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Games, Carillo served as a reporter at Utah Olympic Park, where she covered the bobsled, luge and skeleton competitions, and co-hosted the Closing Ceremony.
CRIS COLLINSWORTH: A 14-time Emmy Award-winner and NBC’s Sunday Night Football analyst, Collinsworth reprises his role as an Olympic correspondent, a role he served in at the 2010 Vancouver and 2008 Beijing Games. Collinsworth joined NBC Olympics coverage as a track and field reporter at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
And that will do it.
