Dina Asher-Smith races onto WBD

Warner Bros. Discovery has added Dina Asher-Smith to its coverage ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics.

She will work with the broadcaster to generate heightened awareness and excitement of its coverage as well as appearing in new and original programming airing from 2024 in the lead-up to the Games, charting her own journey to Paris 2024.

Asher-Smith said: “My new role will be to let everybody know how incredible Paris is going to be and very much encouraging them to watch via discovery+ and via the various channels.

“It includes being a positive influence, a good ambassador, somebody who Warner Bros. Discovery would be proud to work with. Also just really bringing that energy and excitement that makes not only the company, but also all the viewers and everybody at home really excited for the Olympics.”

In addition, to mark one year to go until the Games, on 26 July Eurosport and discovery+ will broadcast an evening of Olympics-themed programming. This will begin with Eurosport host Radzi Chinyanganya presenting a show titled One Year to Dream, which visits some of Paris’ iconic landmarks to interview special guests President of Paris 2024 Tony Estanguet, five-time Olympic judo medallist Teddy Riner, nine-time BMX world champion Matthias Dandois and Olympic fencing medallist Ysaora Thibus. 

This will be followed by Paris, La Vie Sportive, a documentary looking at Paris’ relationship with sport since it last hosted the Olympics in 1924. Split into two 60-minute episodes and narrated by Thierry Henry, Henry’s World Cup and Euro winning teammates Emmanuel Petit and Marcel Desailly, tennis legends Mats Wilander and Yannick Noah, plus record five-time Tour de France winner Eddy Merckx.

The night of programming will be wrapped up by Bridgestone-sponsored series The Olympian, which features profiles of prominent athletes looking to kickstart their journeys towards Olympic Games Paris 2024.

Henry said: “Whenever you have a big event or tournament in your country, what it brings to people first and foremost is joy, but also the desire of wanting to practise a sport.

“Through sport, Paris has been able to go back up and breathe again and see the light at the end of the tunnel. I think that’s very important. That’s what the Olympic Games brings; it brings hope. We always associate Paris with style, elegance, fashion, food. Resilience is not always something that comes and it comes through sport also. Hopefully you can see that and it is going to be translated well in the documentary.”  

Scott Young, SVP content and production at Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, added: “This is a momentous occasion for us, and all sports fans, and it’s not just about 17 days next year, it’s about the 12-month journey to summer next year. We’ll start with an amazing slate of content that builds momentum and anticipation between now and when the Olympics kick off in Paris. It’s about taking people on this journey that helps them connect with the Olympic spirit. Then we change focus, leaning into the role of an Olympic storyteller featuring the athletes striving to achieve their dreams.

“If you love the Games, you can see every minute of every sport that is covered in our 20 languages in nearly 50 markets across Europe. A total of 33 sport and 321 medal events will feature live across our channels and platforms. We know that the Games draws in new sports fans every four years and we’re going to be putting on a truly immersive experience like no other. We can’t wait to build excitement right up to the opening ceremony in Paris in just 365 days from now.”

There will be more themed programming ahead of Paris 2024, including The Super Six - which follows the dreams of six different athletes from diverse backgrounds as they face challenges head on as they go for gold in Paris. More details on the series will be revealed in 2024 along with further information on a brand new 25-episode series of Athletes to Watch.