Doug Gillon, athletics correspondent of Glasgow’s Herald newspaper and recent double prize-winner at the SJA Sports Journalism Awards, has clocked up a landmark 10th Olympics with his arrival this week at the British team’s holding camp in Macau. This matches the achievement of the SJA’s Treasurer Neil Wilson, of the Daily Mail, who is at his 10th Summer Games. Wilson has also covered several Winter Olympics, having begun his Olympic career in Munich in 1972.
Alan Hubbard, another SJA stalwart, is also at his 10th Olympics, although he is able to trace his first Games back to Tokyo in 1964.
Although a track and field specialist, the versatile Gillon has been busy filing around 2,000 words each day of features and news reports, with much focus on tennis playing Scottish brothers Andy and Jamie Murray, plus a daily blog on the Herald‘s website.
Gillon is one of several SJA or BAWA members in China covering the Games for the regional press.
“It’s vital to have your own man on the scene, seeing things through his own eyes and getting his own take on it,” James Porteous, The Herald‘s deputy sports editor, to HoldTheFrontPage.com.
As well as Press Association copy, around 40 regionals and local papers are using content supplied by Sportsbeat, the London-based agency, which is offering coverage paid for by London 2012 sponsors Lloyds-TSB, with a five-striong team in China headed by managing editor James Toney.
The Northern Echo is one Sportsbeat client, though it has sent chief sports writer Scott Wilson to file diary and colour pieces from China.
The Bristol Evening Post and Western Daily Press are both using BAWA member Kevin Fahey to cover around 40 local athletes from the West Country – Bath’s centre of excellence ensures a massive local interest in the British Olympic team’s fortunes.
Another BAWA member, Trevor Baxter, is once more covering the Games for the Manchester Evening News, as well as The Sentinel.
Photographer David Finch specialises in covering judo, and he hopes to receive fruther work orders while in Beijing, where his mobile number is +86 13717512589. His UK number is also operative on +44 7751 883961, or email davidfinch@judophotos.com
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