Women of Winter Wednesdays: Lauren Tomasi

As athletes chased Olympic dreams across the slopes and tracks of Cortina, another crucial team worked tirelessly behind the scenes to bring those moments to life for audiences back home.

For Channel 9 and Wide World of Sports reporter Lauren Tomasi, the Milano Cortina Games offered a front-row seat to history, and a chance to tell the stories that define the Olympic spirit.

Based in the heart of the action in Cortina, Tomasi’s role extended far beyond a traditional broadcast position.

“My ‘office’ for the Games spanned across multiple sport venues,” she said.

From the sliding track to the curling stadium and the women’s alpine events, Tomasi covered a wide range of disciplines, including bobsleigh, skeleton, luge, curling, biathlon and downhill skiing.

At each venue, the mix zone, where athletes arrive moments after competing, became a key workspace.

“That’s where we’d catch up with athletes right as the adrenaline was still hitting,” she said.

Working alongside camera operator Tim Furness, and with former Olympian Rohan Chapman-Davies also part of the team, the coverage was strengthened by both technical expertise and athlete insight.

Reflecting on the experience, one word stood out.

“Phenomenal,” Tomasi said.

“It’s so hard to put into words how special it was to showcase our Australian Olympians and to describe the buzz of Cortina.

“There was this electric sense of unity that only the Olympics can pull off.”

That sense of connection extended beyond competition.

“Sport has this wild way of turning strangers into best friends over a single race,” she said.

“I so enjoyed meeting athletes and teams from around the world, and in particular, the family members of our Aussies.”

For Tomasi, the opportunity to share those stories with audiences back home carried deep meaning, and covering the Games marked a career-defining moment.

“I felt so proud to be an Australian, and to be able to share our athletes' journeys is an absolute privilege,” she said.

“I smiled so much my cheeks hurt.

“The athletes were so generous and open with their stories.”

One standout experience came away from the field of play, a visit to the Athletes Village with skeleton athlete Nick Timmings and his twin brother and coach, Dean.

“They’re hilarious, just good value human beings,” Tomasi said.

“Any day that ends with an Aussie athlete handing you a Caramello Koala in the middle of the Italian Alps is a gold-medal day in my books.”

While athletes are the focus of the Games, Tomasi is quick to highlight the broader ecosystem that makes it all possible.

“The Olympics is a massive, moving machine, and it takes a village to make it hum,” she said.

From media roles to athlete support and volunteering, opportunities exist at every level, particularly with Brisbane 2032 on the horizon.

“Don’t wait for an invite, get out there and put your hand up,” she said.

Since the Closing Ceremony, it’s been a rapid shift back to reality, albeit in another global hotspot.

Now based in the US capital as Channel 9’s Washington Correspondent, Tomasi continues to cover major global events, bringing stories to audiences back home.

“I’ve traded in the beautiful Italian Alps for the non-stop craziness of Washington DC,” she said.

“I feel lucky to have a front row seat to some huge moments in history.

“Just a huge thank you to the athletes.

“Being there to see the years of sacrifice, the early mornings, and the resilience it takes to get to that starting line, it’s life changing.”

Because beyond medals and results, the Olympics represent something deeper.

“It reminds you that the Olympics isn't just about medals,” she said.

“It’s about the heart it takes to get there.”