CNN World Sport Presenter – Patrick Snell (1986 Leaver)
It’s fair to say 2016 is already proving another very busy year at CNN International Sports and I’m truly privileged to have been a part of it! As one of the Atlanta-based Presenters, or “Anchors” if you prefer, on CNN World Sport it’s been a whirlwind last few months with one of the most captivating and engaging stories I’ve ever worked on, playing a major role. Did anyone really see Leicester City’s most unlikely of English Premier League title triumphs actually happening? What an incredible achievement for Claudio Ranieri and the Foxes and I have to say richly deserved in the end too!
Another wonderfully eye-catching story took place just down the road from us at CNN’s global headquarters here in Atlanta at the famed Augusta National with English golfer Danny Willett capturing the coveted green jacket at this year’s Masters Tournament. I was delighted for Danny just as I was at last year’s US Open at Chambers Bay in beautiful Washington State when young Jordan Spieth won his second career Major after a thrilling finish. On that occasion I was blessed to have a first-hand view of how he kept his nerve and held off the challenge of his compatriot Dustin Johnson. It was great to interview the young American one-on-one afterwards about it all and he was even gracious enough to let me see how it felt to get hold of that famous trophy!
20 years ago the eyes of the world were on the city of Atlanta for the 1996 Olympics. Two decades on and the Summer Games were staged for the first time ever in South America with Brazil hosting. Our team covered many compelling stories……The historic exploits of Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps immediately spring to mind of course. And rightly so. But among many other memorable highlights were the hosts winning a first ever Gold in the men’s football tournament and what an occasion for Fiji who won their first ever Olympic medal in the Rugby Sevens Competition.
But a busy sporting year shows no sign of easing up! We’ll be following All the top football leagues closely as they swing back into action and then there’s the small matter of golf’s Ryder Cup and on a personal level I can’t wait to get to Hazeltine where the American team will be looking for their first win over their European rivals since 2008! A victory “they” would say is long overdue!
