I’VE been a sports commentator for nearly 30 years and it takes something extraordinary to surprise me in this game.

It can be an inward-looking profession with constant pressure to perform and sometimes it takes something unexpected to inspire you to lift to another level. 

That moment of mild astonishment came during the ACT Track and Field titles at the AIS last month. I was asked to commentate on the track events, in particular the sprints. I was also told that I would be assigned an expert commentator, to provide “colour”, who would also call some races.

I enjoy commentating and, even after 30 years, I still study before I have to perform. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a mid-season Brumbies’ or Raiders’ game, I still need to really work at getting the names right and get myself into the right mindset before the day. 

Imagine my surprise when I arrived at the commentary box on the day of the track and field titles to discover my co-commentator was a vision-impaired athlete with only five to eight per cent sight. I have found it hard enough over the years with 100 per cent vision! 

He was the world silver medalist in the 200 metres for vision-impaired athletes, Chad Perris. Chad was born with albinism, which affects his vision. 

So I arrive at the commentary box and Chad is reading the program at point blank range with a magnifying glass and a light. Chad had also never attempted live commentary before. I thought, this is going to turn out well! 

I did the first couple of races before Chad took over. To say I was blown away is a massive understatement. 

Chad put the binoculars up to his glasses, which were so thick I wondered how anybody could see out of them, and called it as if he’d been calling all his life. It was extraordinary and akin to discovering a champion racehorse at a country meeting. 

In fact, I felt quite inferior and felt as though I had to lift my game to match him, such was the quality of his performance. Chad has since told me that he has always wanted to be a sports commentator and this was his first opportunity. 

Although he has trouble seeing the numbers on the athletes, he analyses body movement and memorises what the athletes are wearing. By the end of the day I was starting to think that, at 23 years of age, this young man could be anything in this caper. 

We have been in regular contact since with me offering advice where I can. He has made it clear he wants to become a sports commentator and not simply known as a vision-impaired sports commentator. 

As I stated earlier, sometimes you need a shakeup, and Chad has provided it for me.