John Inverdale names retiring Andy Murray as ‘Peerless’
The legendary BBC and ITV sport presenter John Inverdale has hailed Andy Murray as the ‘greatest sportsman he has ever seen’.
In the wake of the former Wimbeldon champion’s announcement that he is retiring, the veteran broadcaster said: “Andy Murray is, for me, the greatest individual sportsman this country has produced in my lifetime.
“He carried the weight of 70 years of publicly perceived failure on his shoulders and in the greatest era of the men’s game, won three Grand Slams and two Olympic titles, thereby completely reinvigorating the sport.
Speaking in an interview with business growth partner Champions UK plc, John continued: “Anyone who’s a keen follower of any sport will have their own personal favourites but stand back objectively and look at the environment in which he became the world’s best. He is peerless.”
Looking ahead to the Paris 2024 Games, Inverdale also suggested how Olympic games events may look in the years ahead. He said: “If you look at some of the core traditional Olympic sports – say modern pentathlon, rowing and equestrian, there is a strong possibility they could up being replaced by mass participation events such as padel and climbing that are growing in popularity and generate far greater social interest, which is the way the world is changing. There are probably sports which have not been even invented yet that will form part of the Olympics in twenty years’ time. Will some future events become a celebration of exercise and participation mixed in with elite sporting excellence? You can’t just keep adding new sports to the event list, if you bring in three new ones you would probably have to drop three – the days of some of the current disciplines are numbered!”
This year John will be travelling to Paris as a spectator for the first time after covering ten Olympic games in his illustrious broadcasting career.
“I am particularly looking forward to the 1500m final – I really think GBs Josh Kerr has a great chance of success.”
John’s first Olympics was in Seoul in 1988 where he watched the “dirtiest race in Olympic history” when the disgraced sprinter Ben Johnson won 100m gold only to be disqualified following a failed drugs test.
John Inverdale was speaking ahead of taking part in this year’s Farmfoods British Par 3 pro/celebrity golf event, organised by Champions UK plc, which takes place at Nailcote Hall Hotel in Warwickshire from 6-9 August 2024. For FREE spectator tickets email bp3@championsukplc.com
