The Paris Olympics, which saw Japanese athletes win the most medals ever in an overseas-held Games, concluded on August 12 Japan time. “Skateboarder Koi Yoshizawa, who quickly returned to Japan and has been in high demand from various networks, is already booked until next New Year’s special programs. Meanwhile, popular female athlete Haruka Kitaguchi in javelin and Judo’s Aron Wolf, known for his entertaining talk, will likely be seen on variety shows in a set with Takashi Saito, who showcased their great duo during the press conference,” said a TV writer. The scramble is not just for athletes. Guest commentators and reporters who frequently appeared in broadcasts and commentary are also in high demand. “For networks always on the lookout for new sports casters, the Olympics are like a trade fair. Kohei Uchimura initially lacked expression and variation in his speech, leading to comments online questioning his motivation. However, he has always been someone who mastered gymnastics through meticulous research. His growth during the Games was remarkable, leading to high praise,” said a sports program director. Amidst this, the most popular by far was still Kasumi Ishikawa. “Her adorable looks and high responsiveness on site led to a huge boost in her evaluation. However, as a sportscaster, a certain level of knowledge about other sports is required, so there is a sense that it might be a bit early for her. Nonetheless, offers for variety shows and other programs will definitely increase,” said the director mentioned earlier. On the other hand, there was a lot of criticism regarding the commentary of Akemi Masuda, once highly popular in women’s marathon. Comments included, “She doesn’t sync well with the announcer” and “Stop blurting out personal information about athletes.”