One of Australia's most promising young racecallers, journalist Matthew Hill, is critically ill in a Beijing hospital awaiting emergency evacuation to Hong Kong.
Hill, 27, of Melbourne, fell ill with heat stress soon after the blistering conditions of the opening days of Olympic competition while working for the accredited broadcasters Macquarie Network.
While he appeared to recover after being rehydrated, Hill's condition rapidly deteriorated last night. It is understood he is suffering from pneunomia in both lungs and is in a coma.
Australian Olympic team doctor Peter Baquie and experts from St Vincents Hospital in Sydney have been working with local Chinese doctors to help Hill. This morning the medical team was preparing to evacuate him to Hong Kong, pending Chinese government approval for a specially equipped medivac plane to land in Beijing.
"This is not because of the quality of treatment in Beijing, far from it, but because the hospital in Hong Kong has specialised equipment Hill may need," Australian chef de mission John Coates said.
"We hope he pulls through, he is an Australian, we are giving him as much assistant as possible."
2GB broadcaster Ray Hadley, one of the senior members of the Macquarie Network will update Hill's condition in two hours' time.
Hill's mother told Fairfax Media The Age she was too distressed to comment.
She said she did not know much about her son's condition or when he would be flown out of Beijing but understood he was getting good medical care.
Prime News sports journalist Nat Wallace said Hill had risen quickly to become one of Australia's most respected race callers.
"He is not only good at his job, he is well respected and well liked from the stewards, to the jockeys, to the trainers and that's something he's achieved in a short space of time," Wallace said.
Wallace said he met Hill when both journalists were in their late teens and breaking into the industry.
He said Hill had worked with Sky Racing since 2000 after being awarded a scholarship with the station.
"He's always been that sort of guy that you knew would make it to the top in race calling and sports broadcasting in general," he said.
Wallace said Hill had been excited to follow in the footsteps of his hero Bruce McAvaney and have the opportunity to commentate at the Olympics.
"It was a big step for him and he was really looking forward to it, especially the equestrian events, it's just really unfortunate what's happened," he said.
About a year ago, Wallace said he had filled in for Hill at a Broadmeadows race meet after he collapsed before the last two races ran.
He said he understood Hill may have been affected by Beijing's stifling heat.
"He always tried so hard and it seems the conditions over there have affected some of the athletes as well as some of the commentators," Wallace said.
"I spoke to him in the lead-up to the Olympics and he was really excited about it and wide-eyed. He couldn't wait for the opportunity."
- with Mex Cooper