Veteran BBC athletics commentator Paul Dickenson dies at 74

Paul Dickenson, a former BBC athletics commentator who provided coverage for six Summer Olympic Games, has passed away at the age of 74. A two-time Olympic hammer thrower, Dickenson focused on athletics and sliding sports coverage for BBC Sport for more than two decades. His commentary covered all Summer and Winter Olympic Games held from 1992 through 2014. Dickenson’s distinctive voice was heard during Jessica Ennis-Hill’s heptathlon gold medal win at the London 2012 Games. His final commentary for the BBC occurred when Lizzy Yarnold secured her skeleton gold at Sochi 2014. He holds the distinction of being one of only five BBC commentators who have announced Team GB gold medal victories in both Summer and Winter Olympic events. Philip Bernie, Head of BBC Sport Content, stated: “Paul was a wonderful broadcaster and a really lovely man.His great voice captured and enhanced some of the very biggest moments in British sport, including his superb commentary at both summer and winter Olympics.All our condolences and thoughts are with his family and friends.” In his athletic career, Dickenson secured a 14th position in the hammer throw event at the 1976 Summer Olympics held in Montreal, subsequently participating in the Moscow Games four years later. Additionally, he represented England in the Commonwealth Games in both 1978 and 1982. He died at his residence on Tuesday.