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WOOLDRIDGE: Road to Rio

(This is a guest blog from David Wooldridge who will be commentating on the European Wheelchair Basketball Championships)
I know people say don’t have regrets, but one of the biggest regrets in my career so far, was missing the boat on the London 2012 hype. The time when it seems from looking at other people’s careers, there were LOADS of presenting, announcing and commentary opportunities.
Well luckily for me I’ll be having my ‘2012 moment’ soon. As somehow I’ve been selected as part of the commentary team for the upcoming European Wheelchair Basketball Championships, which acts as a qualifier for the Rio 2016 Paralympics, so yeah A BIG DEAL.
Euro Logo
This huge event also happens to be where I spend most of my Friday nights between September & April, “The University of Worcester Areennnnaaaaa!” Which makes it a little bit more special for me, as it’s in my home town and in a venue I owe a lot of my career to.
I may not be living out 10 year old me’s dream of being the 2nd ever wrestling Olympic gold medalist, (Coming for you Kurt Angle). But this is the closest I’ll ever be to it! And more importantly this event will make up for my, “Pfftt its only the Olympics” attitude back in 2012.
It’s kind of a weird ‘Disney-ish’ full circle of my career so far too. Commentating on a EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP in the same venue where I first stepped out to announce and… well did a terrible job to be frank.
Uni ArenaWhilst I’m still ‘breaking the glass ceiling’ in TV & Radio presenting, I really feel that in the sports announcing & commentary world I’m starting to make a name for myself, (He says before messing up at the event). Which I completely owe to basketball in general and to the fantastic athletes, of which I’m allowed to be part of their ‘show’, their the ones delivering and giving me something to do!
Unfortunately I won’t be commentating on this event as much as I would like to, due to other ‘bits & bobs’ (Might tell you about them soon…), but I’m just happy to be a part of the whole shaa-bang to be honest!Team GB
Ooo by the way, guess what I’m REALLY looking forward to? I’ve looked at my announcing schedule, I’ve got a Team GB game to commentate! *Air Fist Pump *
So here’s hoping I don’t let Great Britain down, or our paralympians. And that I can commentate them to victory, onward to Rio 2016!
Lets also hope our European counterparts can understand my Farmer-Brummie-Southern accent too…

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