Matt Shirvington says wife Jessica ‘sacrificed a lot’ to support his career 

After making his mark on Australian sprinting, he’s gone on to forge a successful media career.

And Matt Shirvington credits his wife of two decades Jessica for helping him get his start, in an interview with Who on Thursday. 

‘Jess was there through my whole athletic career,’ said the 42-year-old of his childhood sweetheart.

 ‘She sacrificed a lot to support me,’ continued Shirvington. 

‘I have a lot of repayment still due there.’ 

Matt and Jessica met when they were 17 and now share three children together: daughters Sienna, 15, and Winter, 13, and son Lincoln, 4.

Still the second-fastest Australian male sprinter of all time, from 1998 Shirvington claimed five consecutive Australian national titles for the 100m sprint event. 

Despite being Australia’s preeminent runner for years, Matt failed to win any major individual medals during this athletics career.

And he rates his second career in the media as far more difficult that being an athlete.

‘I used to run 100 metres then had a rest. But in broadcasting, we work around the clock,’ the Holey Moley host told Who.

Following his retirement, Matt began his media career as a sports presenter with Sky News Australia in 2010.

He joined the Seven Network in July 2020. 

Now, the former athlete leads Channel Seven’s afternoon coverage of the Tokyo Games as a commentator. 

He joins Hamish McLachlan, Abbey Gelmi, Johanna Griggs, Luke Darcy, Edwina Bartholomew, Lisa Sthalekar and Andy Maher, as well as recent former Olympians Ian Thorpe and Anna Meares as part of Seven’s team.