AFP, Sydney :
Prolific Australia sporting broadcaster Norman May, distinctive for his colourful calls of Olympic Games events, has died aged 88, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation said Sunday.
May’s career in sports broadcasting began in the 1950s and extended well past his official retirement from the national broadcaster in 1984.
He covered a total of 11 Olympic and 11 Commonwealth Games.
May is synonymous in his country for his vibrant call of Australia’s gold medal in the men’s swimming 4x100m medley at the 1980 Moscow Olympics when he proclaimed “gold, gold for Australia, gold”.
He was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 1983 and an Australian Sports Medal in 2000. He was also awarded an Olympic Order that year.
He was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Game in 2004 and five years later was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia.
One-time ABC colleague Drew Morphett tweeted: “Sad to hear of the passing of the great Norman May – a mentor and inspiration of some of our greatest sports broadcasters.”
