An Australian diving legend has given a candid view on how well Mark Taylor is commentating the sport on Olympic diving and how far the former Test cricket captain is from the Paris pool.
Matthew Mitcham, who won gold in the 10-metre platform diving at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, was asked about Sydney 2Day FM Radio Station on why he was not commenting on the Paris Games, having reached the pinnacle of sport in a way few Australians have managed.
Now based in London, he was told he would have to fly to Australia to commentate on the jumps on the other side of the world.
‘Channel Nine are doing their commentary internally, from Australia, and because I’m based in London and I’m going to be in Paris at the time, I couldn’t do it,’ Mitcham explained to the breakfast hosts. Dave Hughes, Ed Kavalee and Erin Molan on Wednesday.
Mitcham revealed that “he was the first person they asked, obviously” but told Nine he would prefer to be at the event in Paris, where he will be doing promotional work for Airbnb.
He said he would only appear on Nine’s coverage if the pool camera was on him.
Asked how Taylor, a former Australian Test opener and later captain, was faring in commentary, Mitcham gave a very sarcastic response.
“You know what? The first time you do something it’s always going to be terrible,” he said.
Olympic diving gold medallist Matthew Mitcham has revealed why he will not be commenting on the sport for the Paris Games
Mitcham was clearly amused by Channel Nine’s unlikely choice of having former Australian cricketer Mark Taylor commentate on the jump.
‘So it’s just as well that he’s tried his hand at the Olympics, the world’s most important competition.
‘You’ve got your expert next to you, which is Sam Fricker (former Australian Olympic trampoline athlete), so the anchor is always supposed to be a little bit off, so that’s why you’ve got the expert next to you.
‘The presenter is there to do all the technical work and pretend they know what they’re doing and then the expert is there to say, ‘You know what? I’ve got this under control.’
Mitcham achieved the second-highest score in individual vault history at the Beijing Olympics.
Hughes revealed that Taylor’s foray as an “expert” into uncharted sporting territory was causing discomfort to his schoolteacher daughter, who was “getting flak from her students” for her unlikely commentary role.
Asked if he would be willing to take on cricket commentary duties for Seven this summer, Mitcham gave a tongue-in-cheek response.
“I would be very offended if they didn’t ask me,” he joked.
Matthew Mitcham has joked that he would be willing to take on cricket commentary duties.
This comes after former Channel 10 weatherman Tim Bailey criticised the unusual decision to have Taylor commentate on the jumps, insisting it was disrespectful to the athletes.
The former Test captain surprised some Channel 9 viewers on Saturday night when he called the action during the women’s 3m synchronised springboard final, Bailey most notably.
“Mark Taylor calling the jumps. He’s a wonderful cricketer, but a bit disrespectful to athletes,” Bailey posted on X.
“Tubby probably doesn’t know anything about this sport. He’s admitted it himself. Who made this decision? The last one.”
Nine commentators, Taylor and Sam Fricker, commentated on the performance of Maddison Keeney and Annabelle Smith in the women’s 3m synchronised springboard on Saturday.
Many sports fans agreed with Bailey and posted their thoughts.
“Mark Taylor’s comments on the jump sound like a scene from The 12th Man,” wrote AAP sportswriter Oliver Caffrey.
“This year it wasn’t on my bingo card to have Tubby Taylor narrate the jumps at the Olympics,” another posted.
Other fans were happy to hear from the cricket legend.
“I love Tubby Taylor’s ideas on synchronized jumping,” wrote one fan.
“Mark Taylor narrates the jump at Nine. What a time to be alive! The art of the perfect tackle narrates the art of a perfect tackle,” another joked.