Our Stories: Anna Petchell

“It’s a broadcasting and logistical feat!” says Anna Petchell about working as a camera operator at the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony. Anna would know, as she’s been behind the camera at some of the biggest sports events of the summer - including Lulu Sun’s incredible run and the Centre Court finals at Wimbledon. 

Anna hails from Kiwitahi, New Zealand, south of Morrinsville in the Waikato. After studying communications (television) at AUT, she began working in NZ broadcasting in 2004, in a range of production roles. Her UK adventure first began in 2010, and she has moved between Europe, the Caribbean, USA and NZ since then. She also has seven years of hands-on sailing experience in the globally-itinerant superyacht industry.

Now based in London, Anna continues travelling the world as a freelance sports broadcaster, showing you don’t have to be a world-class athlete to make a career in international sport. Whatever the conditions, Anna’s out in the field, broadcasting sports wherever they are taking place. For the Olympics Opening Ceremony, this meant camping under an umbrella in the torrential rain surrounded by ducks in a Parisian park, trying to keep her camera lens dry to record shots of the moving showcase on the Seine.

At the Olympics this week, Anna will be filming a range of sports events, and it’s this wide variety which motivates her. She loves the working vibe of the Games, bringing together hundreds of friends and colleagues from throughout the broadcast industry. Her greatest satisfaction comes from filming events with Kiwi sportspeople, knowing these images are being screened back home, allowing New Zealanders a close-up experience of the world’s top sporting achievements.

When she’s not behind the camera, Anna is pursuing her other professional passion, working ‘behind the scenes’ with groups and individuals as a well-regarded career transition coach. Just as she enjoys helping people shine on television, she also loves empowering people in their professional lives, particularly when they want to change industry or focus. She lives across her Kiwi and UK worlds, active in career networks such as Waikato Women in Business and local community volunteering.

Sports broadcasting will keep her on the road throughout this summer. After the Olympics she is flying to Mexico for a Women’s Tennis Association tournament and then she returns to Paris for the Paralympics. Her schedule remains full throughout the football, rugby, basketball, hockey and tennis seasons. Stay tuned, as she’ll be sharing some of these highlights with our Network!

You can find Anna on LinkedIn and Instagram.