Legendary sports commentator Bruce McAvaney says "it's no illusion" that Australian athletics is at the beginning of a "golden age" of development and success in the sport.
Speaking ahead of his role commentating SBS' coverage of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, McAvaney said he believes Australian athletics is in the best shape it's ever been, with several serious medal contenders among the country's 80-odd member team.
McAvaney said the event, running from 13-21 September and broadcast on SBS, is potentially the third most significant global sporting event behind the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup, with athletes from 198 countries participating.
"It doesn’t get bigger than this," he said.
"A diverse group of Australians from all sorts of backgrounds, come together … with 197 other countries. There are very few global opportunities like this."
McAvaney says Australian athletics competitors have been building impressive momentum that he believes will lead to victories in this year's championships and continue through to the Brisbane Olympics in 2032.
"I think we’re at the beginning of a golden age, and at the Brisbane Olympics, in seven years time, that’s not going to go away.
"And this really all began in Tokyo four years ago, where you could see the writing on the wall so I believe this group are representing a team that is in a period the whole country is going to be very excited right now and going forward."
Australian runner Jessica Hull won the silver medal in the Women's 1500m final at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Source: AAP / Dean Lewins
McAvaney says momentum on and off-track makes him believe in the emergence of a golden age.
"It’s not manufactured, it’s very real, it’s not an illusion what’s happening out there in terms of the depth of talent in our country".
Off the track he says Australia is being considered a more serious player in global athletics, with events like the Sydney marathon gaining a huge global following as one of five major marathons.
However, two major medal hopes have become late scratchings — Olympic pole vault champion Nina Kennedy and racewalker Jemima Montag, who won bronze in the 20km in Paris, have pulled out of the championships through injury, threatening Australia's overall medal tally hopes.
Pressure on young stars
Nearly a quarter of Australia's team are 21 or younger, another reason why McAvaney predicts they will shine at a home Olympics.
The highest-profile young Australian athlete is undoubtedly Gout Gout, who at just 17-years-old and running 100 metres in under 10 seconds, is being compared to sprinting great Usain Bolt.
Speaking about the Australian teenager while in Tokyo for the competition, Bolt said even though Gout is talented, it's never going to be "just easy" for him to win.
"He's very talented, with the times he's running now and he's really been doing well," Bolt said.
"That's something that you love to see because you want athletes to do well. The more athletes do well, the bigger the sport is, and I'm always a supporter of track and field getting bigger and doing bigger things.
"So if he continues on this track he's going to be good, but it's all about getting everything right."
Gout will compete in the men's 200m heats on Wednesday 17 September.
McAvaney said Gout is "so interesting" given he's about to start his year 12 studies while dealing with global fame and pressure to perform.
Bruce McAvaney hugs Gout Gout as he celebrates winning his Under 20s 200m final at the Queensland Athletics Championships in Brisbane in March. It was the first time Gout had run below 20 seconds for the 200m. Source: AAP / Jono Searle
"But we do know he’s a rare talent and we haven’t seen anything like him in Australia. I think he will run particularly well."
McAvaney said he thinks middle-distance runner Peter Bol is another athlete who could perform well, given he's running faster now than he was when he placed 4th in the 800m at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The master commentator flagged distance runner Jess Hull and discus star Matt Denny as other standouts, as well as high jumper Nicola Olyslagers, who won silver in Paris, as Australia's best medal hope.
"She’s the Diamond League champion and the world indoor champ, at the moment I think it’s a 50-50 bet between her and [Ukrainian Olympic champion Yaroslava] Mahuchikh, she’ll be on the podium and she’s a great competitor," McAvaney said.
The 'one lap' that inspired the whole world
This year marks the 25-year anniversary of the Sydney Olympic Games — and for many Australians, Cathy Freeman's gold medal win in the 400 metres is among their favourite sporting memories of all time.
Asked about role models in athletics, McAvaney said the Indigenous runner is one of the greats.
"I think Cathy’s legacy is even stronger right now than it was 25 years ago," he said.
"That’s how pure and rich that whole performance was from the lighting of the cauldron to winning that gold medal. She carried the nation on her back. The pressure was unbelievable. It would have diminished so many people but she actually took it on and soared."
Cathy Freeman's gold medal-winning 400m run at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Credit: Dean Lewins
"Great performances are fleeting. What Cathy did is forever."
Bruce McAvaney will lead the expert commentary along with former world indoor 800m champion Tamsyn Manou to call the track events, while renowned SBS commentator David Basheer will bring audiences all the action in the field.
Every session from the nine-day event will be broadcast live and free across SBS VICELAND, including the World Athletics Championships 2025 Hub via SBS On Demand, which will also feature full replays, mini recaps and Aussie Focus clips for every session.
Morning sessions will run from 8am to 1.30pm AEST on September 13–15 and 20–21, while evening sessions will be from 8pm to 11.30pm AEST each night of the championships.
