ESPN International Welcomes 46 Olympians to Rio 2016 Coverage Team
Guest Commentators Will Contribute to More than 2,800 Hours of
Multiplatform Content in Latin America and the Caribbean
ESPN, an official broadcaster of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, will be joined by 46 Olympians in its 2,800 hours of comprehensive, multiplatform coverage in Latin America and the Caribbean. ESPN will transmit the 2016 Olympic Games to more than 60 million homes in the region, in English, Portuguese and Spanish.
The Olympians hail from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Great Britain, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the U.S. and have won a combined total of 37 Olympic medals in 16 disciplines, including eight gold, 12 silver and 17 bronze. They will join ESPN’s expert on-air journalists to provide live analysis and commentary in 16 disciplines and participate in studio shows, bringing deep Olympic insight of the sports they represent.
“ESPN is very proud to announce the addition of the Olympians to our coverage,” said Tim Bunnell, senior vice president of ESPN International programming, production, marketing and advertising sales. “Their contributions are a great complement to the unmatched team of ESPN journalists covering the Games and essential in our efforts to deliver the most complete, customized coverage with exceptional production standards to fans around the world.”
The Olympians join a team of 50 ESPN International journalists and analysts—who combined have covered more than 10 Olympics—, other renowned athletes who will serve as special guests and more than 850 ESPN team members working globally on ESPN’s Olympic production and onsite operations.
ESPN’s production is organized into four editorially-unique groups to better serve the diversity of fans and maximize local relevancy. Television coverage includes two dedicated television networks in each region with 12+ hours of daily content, with simulcasts on ESPN Play and WatchESPN (Brazil). Live event coverage will be complemented by studio programming produced on location in Rio. ESPN Play will also make additional live and on-demand coverage available in Spanish-speaking Latin America 24-hours a day, including transmission of events from start to finish.
On the digital front, ESPN.com will complement the television coverage with daily news, updates, and immediate video reporting and results and ESPN’s social media channels will also feature special content with dedicated reporters onsite.
Live coverage from Rio begins August 1 at 8 a.m. EST with special lead-up programming which will last until the Opening Ceremony scheduled for Friday, August 5 at 7 p.m. EST.
OLYMPIANS INCLUDE:
| Sport | Name |
| ARGENTINA | |
| Artistic Gymnastics | Romina Plataroti Barcelona 1992 |
| Basketball | Fabricio Oberto Atlanta 1996, Athens 2004 (Gold), Beijing 2008 (Bronze) |
| Field Hockey | Luciana Aymar Sydney 2000 (Silver), Athens 2004 (Bronze), Beijing 2008 (Bronze), London 2012 (Silver) |
| Magdalena Aicega Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 (Silver), Athens 2004 (Bronze), Beijing 2008 (Bronze) | |
| Mercedes Margalot Sydney 2000 (Silver), Athens 2004 (Bronze), Beijing 2008 (Bronze) | |
| Swimming | Agustina de Giovanni Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 |
| Tennis | Javier Frana Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992 (Bronze), Atlanta 1996 |
| Juan Ignacio Chela Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 | |
| Mariano Zabaleta Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 | |
| Volleyball | Marcos Milinkovic Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 |
| BRAZIL | |
| Artistic Gymnastics | Camila Comin Athens 2004 |
| Basketball | Eduardo Agra Los Angeles 1984 |
| Maria Paula “Magic Paula” Gonçalves Atlanta 1996 (Silver) | |
| Wlamir Marques Rome 1960 (Bronze), Tokyo 1964 (Bronze) | |
| Beach Volleyball | Jackie Silva Atlanta 1996 (Gold) |
| José “Zé” Marco Melo Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 (Silver) | |
| Boxing | Servilio Oliveira Mexico 1968 (Bronze) |
| Fencing | Marco Antonio Martins Sydney 2000 |
| Judo | Danielle Zangrando Atlanta 1996, Athens 2004 |
| Rogério Sampaio Barcelona 1992 (Gold) | |
| Soccer | Jose “Zé” Elias Atlanta 1996 (Bronze) |
| Juliana Cabral Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 (Silver) | |
| Marlisa “Goleira Maravilha” Wahlbrink Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 (Silver) | |
| Swimming | Flavia Delaroli Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 |
| Table Tennis | Lyanne Kosaka Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996 |
| Taekwondo | Diego Silva Athens 2004, London 2012 |
| Tennis | Fernando Meligeni Atlanta 1996 |
| Volleyball | Ana Moser Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996 (Bronze) |
| Mauricio Lima Barcelona 1992 (Gold), Athens 2004 | |
| COLOMBIA | |
| Athletics | María Isabel Urrutia Seoul 1988 |
| Soccer | Faustino Asprilla Barcelona 1992 |
| Jorge Bermúdez Barcelona 1992 | |
| Weightlifting | María Isabel Urrutia Sydney 2000 (Gold) |
| DOMINICAN REPUBLIC | |
| Athletics | Felix Sanchez Athens 2004 (Gold), Beijing 2008, London 2012 (Gold) |
| GREAT BRITAIN | |
| Athletics | Jo Ankier Beijing 2008 |
| JAMAICA | |
| Athletics | Grace Jackson Los Angeles 1984, Seoul 1988 (Silver), Barcelona 1992 |
| Swimming | Janelle Atkinson Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 |
| MEXICO | |
| Archery | Aída Román London 2012 (Silver) |
| Mariana Avitia Martínez London 2012 (Bronze) | |
| Athletics | Ana Guevara Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 (Silver) |
| Raúl González Moscow 1980, Los Angeles 1984 (Gold, Silver) | |
| Cyclist | Giussepina Grassi Beijing 2008 |
| Swimming | María Fernanda González Ramírez Beijing 2008, London 2012 |
| Rodrigo González Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992 | |
| Taekwondo | Victor Estrada Sydney 2000 (Bronze) |
| PUERTO RICO | |
| Basketball | Carlos Morales Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996 |
| UNITED STATES | |
| Athletics | Dwight Stones Munich 1972 (Bronze), Montreal 1976 (Bronze) |
Other Rio 2016 Guest Commentators include: |
|
| ARGENTINA – Diego Albanese (Rugby) | |
| COLOMBIA – Carlos Valdés (Soccer) | |
| MEXICO – Cynthia Valdez (Gymnastics) and Cristina Millan (Swimming) | |
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Media contacts:
Ardi Dwornik, [email protected]
GabrielaNunez, [email protected]
