- Alcott enjoyed a stellar tennis career, including winning the Golden Slam
- Was an entertaining part of the Olympic commentary team
- His latest meta joke had his followers laughing
Australian wheelchair tennis champion Dylan Alcott has always been known for his sense of humor, but during the 2024 Paris Olympics, he took his self-referential jokes to the next level.
Alcott is part of the Channel Nine commentary team in Paris and has been involved in a wide range of different sports.
However, when he was assigned to the men’s 20 km race walk, he saw the humor and irony in it.
“It’s important to be among the experts when you’re presenting the TV broadcast of the Olympic race walk,” he posted on Instagram, along with a video of himself raising his eyebrows and holding his hands in his lap with a mischievous look.
For those who don’t know Alcott, he was born with a tumor wrapped around his spinal cord. After surgery to remove the tumor, he was left paralyzed.
He then made his breakthrough as a wheelchair tennis player, winning several Grand Slam titles and gold medals at the Paralympic Games.
Alcott’s remarkable career also includes achieving a Golden Slam in 2021, winning all four major titles and the Paralympic gold medal in the same year.
That makes it quite a meta joke to say he’s an expert on professional hiking, which he happily admitted.
Dylan Alcott’s self-referential humour is one of the reasons he’s a hit with Channel Nine’s Paris Olympics commentary team – and his latest Instagram joke (pictured) is a prime example
Australians Declan Tingay and Rhydian Cowley (in yellow tops) are pictured competing in the men’s race walk in Paris, a race that inspired Alcott to joke with his fans.
Alcott then reiterated this with the comment, “I’ve been training for this moment all my life.”
Followers found his take on the matter hilarious and praised Alcott for the personality and humor he brought to the commentary team.
‘Best commentator on the team. Appreciate your relaxed and authentic approach,’ someone posted.
‘Awesome Dyl! He enters the commentary team with the best humor,’ added another.
“You’re kinda wheelie-ing with this post, mate,” joked another.
Australians Declan Tingay and Rhydian Cowley finished the race in eleventh and twelfth place respectively, in tough conditions.
Australia’s Jemima Montag won bronze in the women’s event.
Montag drew courage from the support of her late grandmother in the town where she sought refuge after World War II. She overcame a series of setbacks and eventually won a bronze medal in the 20 km walk.
Australia’s Jemima Montag overcame stifling conditions to win bronze in the women’s race walking event at the Paris Olympics
On a scorching Thursday morning in Paris, Montag was in fifth place with five kilometers to go. A medal seemed to have slipped away from her.
But spurred on by her sister, who screamed herself hoarse on the sidelines, the 26-year-old pushed on and overtook two other walkers to take bronze in one hour, 26 minutes and 25 seconds, breaking her own national record.
“I felt extra strength, courage and resilience,” Montag said.
‘(My grandmother) passed on all those great qualities to my father, who then passed them on to my sisters and me.
‘And today I took all those things with me.
‘The course was a kilometre long with a dogleg and cobblestones. There was a lot of noise where the audience was standing.
‘Different women made different moves and it took all the courage I had. It comes from family.’