TOM HAMMOND

Speed Skating Play-By-Play Announcer

Tom Hammond serves as the speed skating play-by-play announcer for the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games. One of sports broadcasting’s most respected and versatile talents, PyeongChang is Hammond’s 13th Olympic assignment with NBC Olympics, most recently serving as a track and field play-by-play announcer in Rio.

Hammond made his Olympic debut at the 1988 Seoul Games as the men’s and women’s basketball play-by-play commentator. He has served as the network’s track and field play-by-play announcer since the 1992 Barcelona Games, where he also called diving. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Hammond called gymnastics in addition to track and field. In Salt Lake, his first Winter Olympics, Hammond hosted figure skating, a cornerstone of the Winter Olympics. He went on to call figure skating at the 2006, 2010 and 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Vancouver and Sochi.

Hammond began his career at NBC Sports in the 1970s, calling regional college basketball broadcasts. In 1984, he was hired for what was intended to be a one-time-only basis as a reporter for NBC’s telecast of the inaugural Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships. That telecast won the prestigious Eclipse Award, and Hammond has been involved with NBC Sports ever since, calling 16 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes events, and 11 Belmont Stakes, including American Pharoah’s historic Triple Crown victory in 2015.

Fast Facts

  • 13th Olympics with NBC Sports
  • Called NBC figure skating coverage at the past four Olympic Winter Games
  • Has called track and field, gymnastics, diving and basketball for NBC at the Olympics
  • Hammond has been integral on a wide range of NBC Sports events over the past three decades, highlighted by horse racing – covering his home-state Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes 16 times apiece, and 11 Belmont Stakes, including American Pharoah’s historic Triple Crown victory in 2015
  • He was the voice of NBC’s Notre Dame Football coverage for more than two decades, and called NFL and NBA games on NBC
  • In September 2001, Hammond was inducted into the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame and in April of 2000, Hammond was honored as a distinguished alumnus of the University of Kentucky