A viewing guide to
Viewing guide to the XXXIII Olympic Summer Games July 26-August 11, 2024 — Paris, France — Page 2
‘Games Wide Open’
Olympians
The 2024 Paris Olympics motto represents the goal of delivering a more responsible, inclusive, equal and spectacular games.
Will Get Support System Back in Paris
(AP) — Athletes at the last Summer Olympics remember the sadness and longing of competing with nearly no one in the stands, thanks to the pandemic.
Not just zero spectators and eerily quiet stadiums, which were bad enough. Worse, perhaps? There were no parents or siblings. No lifelong pals or childhood coaches. The people who helped raise and shape Olympians.
At the Paris Games, those folks can all join in for the ride, offering something that was missing the last time around: a support system.
“I might be the only one on the start line, but I didn’t get there by myself at all,” said Oksana Masters, who has earned 10 medals from four sports. “So for them to be able to be there and experience it together, that’s that moment that I can’t wait for in Paris.”
It’s a common sentiment.
Yes, winning a medal is the goal.
That’s what pushes the athletes.
But there are other motivations.
“You’re not doing it for money. You’re not doing it for fame. You’re doing it for the people you love. You’re doing it for your country. You’re doing it for yourself, as well. You’re doing it for your teammates, your team, the team behind the team,” said Maggie Steffens, a threetime gold medal winner in water polo.
“Family means everything to me. My mom, my dad and my three older siblings really (challenge) me, (teach) me like they’re the real coaches. Your family, they’re the real cheerleaders.”
That sentiment is why Megumi Field, an 18-year-old artistic swimmer, talks about going to the Olympics as “my dream ... but also theirs.”
“I do owe it to anyone who supports me — my sponsors, my friends, my family,
my coach — to do my best and medal, essentially,” said Gabby Thomas, a sprinter who collected a bronze in the 200 meters in Tokyo and made the U.S. team in that event again for Paris.
Andrew Capobianco, a diver heading to his second Olympics, is hoping Mom and Dad will make it to France, along with his twin and another brother, two diving coaches from when he was a kid, and his old gymnastics coach.
Which would be terrific because, Capobianco said, “They all had a huge hand in what I’m doing.”
“It’s almost like a double-edged sword, in a way. Last time, having no people there created less distractions, for sure. And so I was kind of able to just focus on what I needed to do,” he explained. “But this time is going to be a lot different. There are going to be distractions. There’s going to be a lot more hype.”
Going for The Gold
To celebrate the return of the Games to France, each Games medal is embellished with an original piece of the Eiffel Tower. To create this meeting between the most prestigious object of the Games and the iconic monument of France and Paris, Paris 2024 worked on the design of the medal with Chaumet, an LVMH Group company which is a Premium Partner of Paris 2024.
JOBFAIR LAWRENCE
Tuesday, August 27 12:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Viewing guide to the XXXIII Olympic Summer Games
July 26-August 11, 2024 — Paris, France — Page 3
Biles Has a Shot at Olympics History
(AP) — Simone Biles and the rest of the U.S. women’s Olympic gymnastics team don’t need to be reminded of what happened in Tokyo three years ago. Mostly because nearly all of them lived it.
Biles, reigning Olympic allaround champion Sunisa Lee, 2020 Olympic silver medalist Jordan Chiles and 2020 floor exercise champion Jade Carey were all there inside a nearly empty and oddly silent Ariake Gymnastics Centre during a memorable two weeks that altered the course of each of their careers and in ways both big and small led them back to the Games.
They are older now — Biles is 27, Carey is 24, Chiles is 23 and Lee is 21 — and eager for what they are calling a shot at redemption.
“Everybody probably looks at the team, like ‘OK, they went to Tokyo and this, this and this happened. And what are they going to do here in Paris?’” Biles said. “But for us, I know we’re stronger than what we showed in Tokyo.”
Biles arrived in Japan as the face of the Games. She left without the gold medals most expected and instead at the center of the conversation about the intersection between mental health and sports.
Lee became a somewhat unexpected champion after Biles pulled out of multiple finals. Chiles cherished the team silver the Americans captured while Biles watched from the sideline but allowed she wasn’t at her best during the meet.
They’re all back — along with newcomer Hezly Rivera, just 16 — in hopes of authoring a different ending this time around.
“I think we really want a team gold,” said Lee
The American women are favored to win with defending champion Russia unable to participate as part of the fallout of the war with Ukraine. It just might not come as easy as Biles and company have made it seem while winning every major international competition (save, very notably, for one)
since the 2011 world championships. Brazil and powerhouse Rebeca Andrade have made massive strides over the last decade. France, China and Great Britain all have legitimate shots at making the podium.
Still, Biles knows a portion of those who tune in to watch will be waiting to see if what happened in Tokyo will repeat itself. She’s taking steps to make sure she’s in a better place this time around, including therapy, though she stressed the only reason she’s back is because she feels she owes it to herself.
“Nobody’s forcing me to do it,” Biles said. “I wake up every day and choose to grind in the gym and come out here and perform for myself just to remind myself that I can still do it.”
Like their female teammates, the Russian men are also out of the mix to defend the Olympic title they won in a taut final three years ago.
That leaves China and Japan to duel for the top spot at Accor Arena.
The Japanese are led by defending all-around gold medalist Daiki Hashimoto.
Hashimoto has won each of the last two world all-around championships, though China (2022) and Japan (2023) have split the last two team titles.
A resurgent U.S. men’s program hopes to reach the Olympic podium for the first time since earning bronze in Beijing 16 years ago.
The Americans finished third at worlds last fall, and a young team led by 20-year-old Frederick Richard, who believes what happens in Paris could just be the start.
“(We want to) give everything this Olympics and show that we have the potential we can bring home medals and that it’s (go hard) to make sure it’s not about medals anymore,” he said. “It’s about gold medals for 2028.”
Daily TV Schedule
Events broadcast on NBC, USA, E!, the Golf Channel and CNBC.
FRIDAY, JULY 26
12:30 p.m., NBC — Opening Ceremony: Live 11:30 p.m., NBC — Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics SOCCER
7 a.m., USA — Men’s Group A: France vs. USA
9 a.m., USA — Women’s Group B: USA vs. Zambia
SATURDAY, JULY 27
BADMINTON
6:30 a.m., E! — Group Play: Singles, Doubles
8 a.m., USA — Group Play: Singles, Doubles
11:05 a.m., USA — Group Play: Singles, DoublesBASKETBALL
11:15 a.m., CNBC — Men’s Group B: France vs. TBD
7 p.m., USA — Men’s Group B: Germany vs. Japan BEACH VOLLEYBALL
7 a.m., NBC — Pool Play
10 p.m., USA — Pool Play BOXING
4 p.m., CNBC — Women’s Bantam Eliminations & more CANOEING
11 a.m., E! — Slalom: Women’s Kayak Heats
8:30 p.m., USA — Slalom: Men’s Canoe Heats CYCLING
8 a.m., NBC — Women’s Time Trial
9:45 a.m., USA — Men’s Time Trial
4 p.m., NBC — Men’s Time TrialDIVING
10 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (July 27)EQUESTRIAN
3:30 p.m., E! — Eventing: DressageFENCING
4 p.m., USA — Women’s Epee & Men’s Sabre Bronze/Gold Finals FIELD HOCKEY
12:30 p.m., CNBC — Women’s Group: USA vs. Argentina GYMNASTICS
10 a.m., NBC — Men’s Qualifying Subdivision 2
1 p.m., E! — Men’s Qualifying Subdivision 3 HANDBALL
9 a.m., CNBC — Men’s Group PlayROWING
6:15 a.m., USA — Heats: Double, Quadruple & more
9:15 p.m., USA — Heats: Double, Quadruple & more RUGBY
8:35 a.m., CNBC — Men’s Semifinals
9 a.m., NBC — Men’s Semifinal
12 p.m., CNBC — Men’s Bronze Final
12:45 p.m., NBC — Men’s Bronze, Gold Finals
6 p.m., USA — Men’s Bronze, Gold Finals SHOOTING
4 a.m., CNBC — Mixed Team Air Rifle Final
4:30 p.m., CNBC — Mixed Team Air Rifle FinalSKATEBOARDING
5:45 a.m., CNBC — Men’s Street: Preliminary Round
10:30 a.m., NBC — Men’s Street: Final SWIMMING
9:30 a.m. on, NBC — Heats: Men’s & Women’s 4x100m Free & more TABLE TENNIS
12:10 p.m., E! — M&W Singles: Prelims & more
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Viewing guide to the XXXIII
July 26-August 11, 2024 — Paris, France — Page 4
Daily TV Schedule
VOLLEYBALL
6:45 a.m., USA — Men’s Pool Play
2 p.m., USA — Men’s Pool PlayWATER POLO
7 a.m., E! — Women’s Group: Netherlands vs. Hungary
8:30 a.m., USA — Women’s Group: USA vs. Greece
11:45 a.m., NBC — Women’s Group: Greece vs. USA
SUNDAY, JULY 28 ARCHERY
7:15 a.m., USA — Women’s Team: Quarterfinals BADMINTON
3 a.m., USA — Group Play: Singles, DoublesBASKETBALL
10:15 a.m., NBC — Men’s Group C: Serbia vs. USA
4 p.m., USA — Men’s Group C: Serbia vs. USA BEACH VOLLEYBALL
1-6 a.m., 6 p.m., USA — Pool Play
3:10 p.m., NBC — Pool Play BOXING
3:45 p.m., CNBC — Elimination Bouts CANOEING
10:35 a.m., USA — Slalom: Women’s Kayak Final CYCLING
7:30 a.m., NBC — Women’s Mountain Bike EQUESTRIAN
12 p.m., NBC — Surfing & Equestrian
8 p.m., USA — Eventing: Cross Country FENCING
10:15 a.m., E! — Women’s Foil & Men’s Epee Eliminations
2:45 p.m., CNBC — Women’s Foil & Men’s Epee Bronze/Gold Finals GYMNASTICS
4 p.m., NBC — Women’s Qualifying
9 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (July 28)HANDBALL
4:15 p.m., CNBC — Women’s Group PlayROWING
11:30 a.m., USA — Heats: Single Sculls & more RUGBY
8:35 a.m., CNBC — Women’s Group Play
12:30 p.m., CNBC — Rugby & Shooting SKATEBOARDING
10 a.m., CNBC — Women’s Street: Final SOCCER
11 p.m., USA — Men’s Group A: New Zealand vs. USA USA — Women’s Group B: USA vs. GermanySURFING
12 p.m., NBC — Surfing & EquestrianSWIMMING
9:15 a.m. to 10 p.m., NBC — Heats: Men’s & Women’s 200m Free 1:30 p.m., NBC — Finals: Women’s 100m Fly & more TABLE TENNIS
9:30 a.m., E! — M&W Singles: Round of 64VOLLEYBALL
12:45 p.m., 4 p.m. E! — Pool Play WATER POLO
8 a.m., USA — Men’s Group: USA vs. Italy
8:30 a.m., NBC — Men’s Group: USA vs. Italy
10 p.m., USA — Men’s Group: USA vs. Italy
MONDAY, JULY 29 ARCHERY
12 p.m., USA — Men’s Team: Bronze, Gold Finals BADMINTON
3 a.m., E! — Group Play: Singles, Doubles
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U.S. Men Back at Olympics After Long Absence
(AP) — Sure, it was fun to dream about a Paris Olympics with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.
But men’s Olympic soccer is more about emerging players than established stars. It’s good for a few surprises, too. Past winners include Mexico, Nigeria and Cameroon.
So while Argentina, France and Spain will be the favorites to take gold at the Paris Games, there is hope for the United States — featuring for the first time since 2008 — and others in the field of 16.
The tournament has an age restriction of under 23, plus three overage players — which is why there had been hope that Messi and Mbappe would compete. Spoiler alert: They’re not.
Unlike other major international soccer tournaments like the World Cup, European Championship and Copa America, the Olympic men’s soccer event is not featured on world governing body FIFA’s International Match Calendar, meaning clubs are not required to release players to compete at the Games.
The U.S. plays France in its opening game in Marseille when the tournament begins on July 24. The final is on Aug. 9 at Parc des Princes in Paris.
Stars & Stripes
U.S. head coach Marko Mitrovic will showcase some of America’s next generation of talent at the Paris Games.
He has turned to developing talents like Kevin Paredes and Paxten Aaronson, who are on the fringes of the senior team. The 21-year-old Paredes, who plays his club soccer with German team Wolfsburg, was the USA’s young player of the year in 2023.
Unlike its women’s team, the U.S. has never won gold in the men’s soccer tournament at the Olympics. Its best performance was in 1904 — yes, 120 years ago — when club teams competed and it took silver and bronze at the St. Louis Games.
It last featured in Beijing in 2008 and failed to advance beyond the group stage. The roster included future U.S. captain Michael Bradley, the once-promising Freddy Adu and veteran Brian McBride.
The U.S. qualified after winning the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship in 2022 and was then drawn in the same group as host France.
With world champion Argentina competing along
with France and Spain at these Games, the U.S. has its work cut out to medal in Paris.
The men’s event has produced its share of surprise winners like Nigeria won at Atlanta in 1996 and Cameroon four years later in Sydney.
To put that into context — no African nation has ever won a World Cup.
At the London Games, Mexico stunned Brazil 2-1 in the final at Wembley Stadium. The Mexican team made up mostly of domestic-league players upset a Brazilian squad that included Neymar, Marcelo and Thiago Silva.
Surprises this time could come from any of the four groups.
Guinea and New Zealand are in Group A with France and the United States.
Iraq and Ukraine join Argentina and Morocco in Group B.
Group C features the Dominican Republic, Egypt and Uzbekistan along with Spain.
Paraguay, Israel, Japan and Mali comprise Group D.
Israel has qualified for the first time since 1976.
United States’ Kevin Paredes dribbles the ball during a FIFA U-20 World Cup quarterfinal soccer match against Uruguay.
Viewing guide to the XXXIII
July 26-August 11, 2024 — Paris, France — Page 5
U.S. Women’s Soccer in Transition in 2024
(AP) — The signs that the U.S. national team’s dominance was slipping started to emerge back at the Tokyo Olympics.
The United States was vying to become the first team to win an Olympic gold medal after winning a Women’s World Cup. But the team stumbled along the way.
The U.S. lost to nemesis Sweden in the opening game, then fell to Canada in the semifinals.
There was still time to correct the failings ahead of the 2023 World Cup, but the U.S. ultimately stumbled again, finishing second in its group at the tournament before getting eliminated — again by Sweden — on penalties.
It was the earliest exit ever for the United States. Following the tournament, coach Vlatko Andonovski announced he was leaving.
Enter Emma Hayes, head coach at Chelsea, who was hired to turn things around. Hayes was appointed last November but only recently joined the team.
She didn’t have much in-person time with the team, just two friendlies, before she had to select a tight Olympic roster.
When she announced it, she dropped a bombshell: Veteran forward Alex Morgan was left off.
Hayes made it clear this is the new generation for the U.S.
“I think for me, I’ve been clear that everything we’re doing is a step-by-step approach to get us as close as we possibly can to our best level, to our best version of ourselves,” Hayes said. “This is a team that’s making really good progress in doing that.”
The United States is the winningest team in the Olympics, with four gold medals. The Americans open with Zambia in Group B, which also includes 2016 Olympic gold medalist Germany and Australia.
Australia is still looking for a first medal after losing the bronze to the Americans in Japan, but the Matildas will be without captain Sam Kerr.
Spain can become the first team to win an Olympics after a World Cup title, but the team is coming off a series of scandals.
Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales resigned in the fallout for forcibly kissing Jenni Hermoso during Spain’s World Cup victory celebration. The team also fired controversial World Cupwinning coach Jorge Vilda, who was replaced by former national team player Montse Tome.
Despite the tumult, La Roja is immensely talented, with FIFA World Player of the Year and Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati, Alexia Putellas and dynamic 20-year-old winger Salma Paralluelo. The team earned a spot in the Olympics by winning the UEFA Women’s Nations League.
“We are working to be a team that people admire in football on the pitch and also from what we portray from the outside,” Tomesaid in announcing her provisional Olympic squad.
Daily TV Schedule
BASKETBALL
1:45 p.m., USA — Women’s Group C: USA vs. Japan BEACH VOLLEYBALL
1-3 a.m., 4 p.m. USA — Pool Play
5:15 a.m.-12 p.m., E! — Pool Play
3 p.m., NBC — Pool Play CANOEING
10 a.m., E! — Slalom: Men’s Canoe Semi, Final
7 p.m., USA — Slalom: Men’s Canoe Semi, Final CYCLING
6:45 a.m., USA — Men’s Mountain Bike EQUESTRIAN
6 a.m., E! — Eventing: Jumping Team, Individual 8 p.m., USA — Eventing: JumpingFENCING
11:15 a.m., 4 p.m., E! — Women’s Sabre & Men’s Foil Eliminations FIELD HOCKEY
6 a.m., USA — Women’s Pool B: Spain vs. USA GOLF
5 a.m., GOLF — Golf Central - Paris Preview GYMNASTICS
10 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (July 29) HANDBALL
5 p.m., USA — Men’s Group PlayROWING
4 a.m., E! — Diving, Rowing RUGBY
8:30 a.m., USA — Water Polo, Rugby 2:15 p.m., E! — Women’s QuarterfinalsSHOOTING
12 p.m., USA — Men’s Team: Bronze, Gold Finals SOCCER
11 p.m., USA — Women’s Group B: USA vs. Germany SWIMMING
1:30 p.m., NBC — Finals: Women’s 400m IM & more
10 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (July 29) TABLE TENNIS
3 a.m., USA — M&W Singles: Round of 64VOLLEYBALL
10 a.m., USA — Women’s Pool Play
4 p.m., NBC — Women’s Pool Play
10 p.m., USA — Women’s Pool Play WATER POLO
8:30 a.m., 6 p.m. USA — Water Polo, Rugby
1 p.m., E! — Women’s Group: Hungary vs. Canada TUESDAY, JULY 30 ARCHERY
7:45 a.m., E! — Individual: Round of 64, 32
8 p.m., USA — Individual: Round of 64, 32BADMINTON
5:45 a.m., E! — Group Play: Singles, DoublesBASKETBALL
11:30 p.m., USA — Women’s Group C: USA vs. Japan BASKETBALL 3X3
3:15 p.m., NBC — Men’s Pool Play & more
6 p.m., USA — Pool PlayBEACH VOLLEYBALL
4 p.m., NBC — Pool Play
5 p.m., USA — Pool Play CANOEING
3 p.m., E! — Slalom: Men’s Kayak, Women’s Canoe Heats CYCLING
6:15 a.m., E! — Qualification: BMX Freestyle
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United States’ players react after losing their Women’s World Cup round of 16 soccer match against Sweden in a penalty shootout in Melbourne, Australia, Aug. 6, 2023.
Viewing guide to the XXXIII Olympic Summer Games
July 26-August 11, 2024 — Paris, France — Page 6
Daily TV Schedule
EQUESTRIAN
10 a.m., E! — Dressage: Grand Prix FENCING
9:30 a.m., E! — Team Epee Semifinals, Bronze/Gold Finals
7 p.m., USA — Women’s Team Epee Bronze/Gold Finals GOLF
5 a.m., GOLF — Golf Central - Paris Preview GYMNASTICS
11 a.m., NBC — Women’s Team Final
10 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (July 30) HANDBALL
8:45 p.m., USA — Shooting, HandballROWING
10:45 a.m., USA — Heats: Double Sculls & more RUGBY
8:30 a.m., USA — Women’s Semifinals
12 p.m., E! — Women’s Bronze, Gold FinalsSHOOTING
3 a.m., USA — Mixed Team Air Pistol Final
8:45 p.m., USA — Shooting, HandballSOCCER
USA — Men’s Group A: USA vs. Guinea SURFING
1:35 a.m., NBC — NBC Late Night (July 29)
10 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (July 30)SWIMMING
1:30 p.m., NBC — Finals: Women’s 100m Back & more
10 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (July 30) TABLE TENNIS
11:15 a.m., USA — Mixed Doubles: Final TRIATHLON
1 a.m., USA — Men’s Final VOLLEYBALL
2 p.m., USA — Men’s Pool PlayWATER POLO
9:30 a.m., USA — Men’s Group: USA vs. Romania
WEDNESDAY, JULY 31 ARCHERY
7:05 a.m., USA — Individual: Round of 64, 32
7:45 a.m., E! — Individual: Round of 32 BADMINTON
3:15 a.m., USA — Group Play: Singles, DoublesBASKETBALL
10:15 a.m., E! — Basketball, Basketball 3x3
1:45 p.m., USA — Men’s Group C: USA vs. South Sudan BASKETBALL 3X3
6 p.m., USA — Pool Play
2 p.m., E! — Pool Play
3:30 p.m., NBC — Men’s Pool PlayBEACH VOLLEYBALL
8 a.m., NBC — Pool Play
3:45 p.m., USA — Pool Play, Beach Volleyball, Shooting CANOEING
12:45 p.m., 7 p.m. USA — Slalom: Women’s Canoe Final CYCLING
6:10 a.m., USA — Final: BMX Freestyle DIVING
4 a.m., E! — Women’s Synchro 10m Platform Final EQUESTRIAN
9 a.m., E! — Dressage: Grand PrixFENCING
3:30 p.m., E! — Men’s Team Sabre Bronze/Gold Finals FIELD HOCKEY
6:15 a.m., E! — Women’s Pool B: Australia vs. USA
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Don’t Call It ‘Breakdancing’ — It’s Breaking
(AP) — Logan Edra knows her journey to securing a spot as one of the breakers on the U.S. team heading to the Olympics took longer than some expected.
The 21-year-old Filipina American didn’t officially qualify for the Paris Games until last month. It was the last competition for her to earn an Olympic spot despite being of one of the world’s best breakers — more commonly referred to as breakdancers.
female breakers and the nickname her father gave her as a child, is focused on staying grounded and embracing the challenges as she prepares for the global stage.
“As much as we have people around us that are encouraging or part of the hype, it’s still a lonely journey. No one really knows what you’re going through except for you,” said Edra, who is ranked No. 14 in the world and had a meteoric rise on the global breaking scene since 2018.
She was expected to defend her championship at the 2022 Red Bull BC One World Final in New York, but was beat out in the intense final round by India Dewi (b-girl India) from the Netherlands before dominating in the Olympic Qualifier Series in Budapest in June.
With all the anticipation around breaking officially debuting as an Olympic sport, Edra and her U.S. teammates are navigating the pressure that comes with performing a uniquely American artform while facing tough competition from what has now become a global phenomenon.
Nonetheless, Edra, known as b-girl Logistx, using the term for
American art up against tough global competition
The breakers from Team USA have the added responsibility of representing the country where breaking, and the broader culture of hip-hop, originated. Hip-hop was born in the Bronx in the 1970s and with it came the rise of breaking, one of the four foundational elements of the movement. The other elements are DJing, MCing or rapping and graffiti “writing.”
“I’m really excited to represent a whole country, but I’m more excited to represent my dance, my artform and I’m super excited to bring the hip-hop culture to the Olympics,” said Victor Montalvo, or b-boy Victor, one of the U.S. breakers. “We’re going to bring something new to the table. We’re going to bring a vibe, we’re going to bring that peace, love, unity and having fun.”
In the U.S., breaking is often considered to have “died out in the 80s,” Edra said. But globally, the culture is thriving.
Some of the world’s best breakers — and top Olympic contenders — are from countries around the world.
The who’s who of the best hail from Canada (Philip Kim, or “b-boy Phil Wizard”) to Japan (Shigeyuki Nakarai, or “b-boy Shigekix”) to France (Danis Civil, or “b-boy Dany”) to China (Qingyi Liu, or “b-girl 671”) to Lithuania (Dominika Baneviu, or “b-girl Nicka”), among others.
Edra and Montalvo, along with fellow U.S. breakers, Sunny Choi (b-girl Sunny) and Jeffrey Louis (b-boy Jeffro), are not just focused on nailing their moves, they’re serving as ambassadors of the birthplace of a culture and lifestyle now deemed an Olympic sport. The Paris Games could be their only shot at an Olympic medal — breaking won’t be one of the sports at the Los Angeles Games in 2028.
Preserving the roots of the dance
Montalvo learned breaking from his father and uncle, twin brothers who were breaking pioneers in Mexico. Currently ranked No. 5 in the world, he cites their instruction as learning “from the roots, from the originals.”
“It’s fascinating and gratifying to see something we did for fun and now see it become an international sport,” said Douglas “Dancin’ Doug” Colin, a b-boy of the first generation of breakers.
Viewing guide to the XXXIII Olympic Summer Games
July 26-August 11, 2024 — Paris, France — Page 7
Plenty of Stars in the Pool at ’24 Olympics
(AP) — Most of the big stars from the last Olympics will be back at the pool in Paris.
Caeleb Dressel. Katie Ledecky. Ariarne Titmus. Emma McKeon.
But the local favorite might just shine brightest of them all.
France’s Leon Marchand has drawn comparisons to the great Michael Phelps, a link that was only strengthened by Phelps’ longtime coach, Bob Bowman, overseeing the 22-year-old’s rise to prominence.
At last summer’s world championships in Fukuoka, Marchand broke Phelps’ 15-year-old world record in the 400-meter individual medley.
“Leon has several things that make him a great,” Bowman said. “He has speed and he has endurance. So he kind of has the whole package that you want, and so far he’s done well under pressure, which is the other piece of that equation. He has it all really.”
Marchand will also have the home-pool advantage in Paris.
“I get to swim the (400) IM against the world record holder in his home country,” said Carson Foster, the top American hopeful. “That atmosphere is going to be electric.”
Marchand, who swam for Bowman at Arizona State, competed in four events at the Tokyo Games, with a best showing of sixth in the 400 IM. But he emerged as one of the sport’s rising stars at the 2022 world championships in Budapest, and his performance the following year in Fukuoka only raised the stakes heading into his home-country Olympics.
Doping concerns
Swimming has faced many doping scandals over the years, going all the way back to the East Germans’ rise to prominence in the 1970s that was powered by state-sponsored doping.
Now, all eyes are on the Chinese after reports that nearly two dozen of their top swimmers tested positive for banned substances ahead of the
Tokyo Olympics but were allowed to compete. Five of those swimmers went on to win medals, including three golds.
It was also revealed that three of those same Chinese swimmers had previously tested positive for a different substance but faced no ramifications.
Ledecky said many swimmers have lost faith in the World Anti-Doping Agency and can’t help but wonder if the competition in Paris will be fair. Phelps, who won a record 23 gold medals during his career, went before the U.S. Congress to express his concerns.
Big rivals
The United States and Australia have long been the world’s most prominent swimming nations, fueling a rivalry that will heat up again in Paris.
While the Americans traditionally have the deepest team, the Aussies have proven to be formidable foes in recent years — especially on the women’s side.
At the 2023 worlds, the team from Down Under captured 13 gold medals in swimming. The U.S. won seven, though it did lead the overall medals table 38-25. Australia currently holds seven world records in women’s events, including Titmus’ marks in the 200 and 400 freestyle.
“Certainly, the Australians are some of the best, if not the best, in the world,” American women’s coach Todd DeSorbo said. “There’s a lot of events for us in the U.S. where we’ve got nothing to lose. I think that when you’re the group, the team, the individual that has nothing to lose, you’re the most dangerous.”
Can’t miss race
The most anticipated event at the pool will come on the first night. The women’s 400 freestyle will feature defending Olympic gold medalist Titmus, 2016 champion Ledecky and Canadian phenom Summer McIntosh. Titmus is the favorite to repeat after setting a world record last summer in Fukuoka, but Ledecky and McIntosh are determined to give her a run for the top spot on the podium.
Daily TV Schedule
GOLF
5 a.m., GOLF — Golf Central - Paris Preview GYMNASTICS
10:30 a.m., 10 p.m. NBC — Men’s All-Around Final HANDBALL
5 p.m., USA — Men’s Group PlayROWING
4:50 a.m., E! — Finals: Quadruple Sculls & more SHOOTING
8 p.m., USA — Beach Volleyball, ShootingSOCCER
11 p.m., USA — Men’s Group A: USA vs. Guinea
10 p.m., USA — Women’s Group B: Australia vs. USA SWIMMING
4 a.m., USA — Heats: Women’s 200m Fly & more
9 a.m. to 10 p.m. NBC — Heats: Women’s 200m Fly & more TABLE TENNIS
5:45 a.m., E! — M&W Singles: Round of 32TRIATHLON
9:45 a.m., NBC — Women’s Final VOLLEYBALL
10 a.m., USA — Women’s Pool Play
4 p.m., NBC — Women’s Pool Play WATER POLO
12 p.m., USA — Women’s Group: Italy vs. USA
THURSDAY, AUG. 1 ARCHERY
9 a.m., USA — Individual: Round of 64, 32
11:15 a.m., E! — Individual: Round of 32 BADMINTON
5:30 a.m., E! — Women’s Doubles: Quarterfinals BASKETBALL
12 a.m., USA — Men’s Group C: USA vs. South Sudan
1:45 p.m., USA — Women’s Group C: Belgium vs. USA BASKETBALL 3X3
4:05 p.m., NBC — Men’s Pool Play
7:45 p.m., USA — Pool PlayBEACH VOLLEYBALL
3:05 p.m., NBC — Pool Play
6 p.m., USA — Pool Play BOXING
3:45 p.m., USA — Men’s Light Quarterfinals & more CANOEING
10:30 a.m., E! — Slalom: Men’s Kayak FinalCYCLING
8:45 p.m., USA — BMX Racing, Shooting EQUESTRIAN
2:45 p.m., E! — Jumping: Team Qualifier FENCING
12:25 p.m., E! — Women’s Team Foil Bronze/Gold Finals FIELD HOCKEY
10 a.m., USA — Women’s Pool B: USA vs. Great Britain GOLF
6 a.m., GOLF — Men’s Round 1 GYMNASTICS
11 a.m., NBC — Women’s All-Around Final
10 p.m., NBC — Primetime in ParisROWING
4:40 a.m., E! — Finals: Double Sculls & more
12 p.m., USA — Finals: Double Sculls & moreSHOOTING
8:45 p.m., USA — BMX Racing, Shooting
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
Viewing guide to the XXXIII Olympic Summer Games
July 26-August 11, 2024 — Paris, France — Page 8
Daily TV Schedule
SWIMMING
4 a.m., USA — Heats: Men’s 50m Free & more
1:30 p.m., NBC — Finals: Women’s 200m Fly & more TABLE TENNIS
8 a.m., E! — Women’s Singles: QuarterfinalsTRACK & FIELD
7:30 a.m., USA — Men’s 20km Race Walk
9 a.m., E! — Women’s 20km Race Walk VOLLEYBALL
6 a.m., E! — Women’s Pool Play
12:45 p.m., USA — Women’s Pool PlayWATER POLO
4:30 p.m., NBC — Men’s Group: Greece vs. USA
7 p.m., USA — Men’s Group: Greece vs. USA
FRIDAY, AUG. 2 ARCHERY
8:15 a.m., USA — Mixed Team: Semifinals BADMINTON
1 a.m., USA — Mixed Doubles Semifinals
9:10 a.m., USA — Mixed Doubles Gold Final BASKETBALL
11 p.m., USA — Women’s Group C: Belgium vs. USA
2:50 p.m., E! — Men’s Group B: France vs. Germany BASKETBALL 3X3
11 a.m., NBC — Women’s Pool Play
3:45 p.m., E! — Men’s Pool Play BEACH VOLLEYBALL
10:10 a.m., USA — Pool Play
3 p.m., NBC — Pool Play BOXING
4 p.m., USA — Men’s Fly Quarterfinals & more CANOEING
11 a.m., USA — Slalom: Kayak Cross HeatsCYCLING
4:30 p.m., USA — Finals: BMX RacingDIVING
10 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 2)EQUESTRIAN
8 p.m., USA — Jumping: Team Final FENCING
4:15 p.m., E! — Men’s Team Epee Bronze/Gold Finals GOLF
6 a.m., GOLF — Men’s Round 2 HANDBALL
7 p.m., USA — Men’s Group PlayROWING
12:45 p.m., USA — Finals: Lightweight Sculls & more SHOOTING
3 a.m., USA — Women’s Rifle 3 Positions Final SOCCER
5:15 p.m., USA — Men’s QuarterfinalSWIMMING
11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. NBC — Heats: Men’s 100m Fly & more TRACK & FIELD
11 a.m., E! — Finals: Men’s 10,000m & more TRAMPOLINE
9:15 a.m., E! — Women’s Qualification & Final
1:15 p.m., USA — Men’s FinalVOLLEYBALL
2 p.m., USA — Men’s Pool Play
4 p.m., NBC — Men’s Pool PlayWATER POLO
11:30 a.m., USA — Women’s Group: USA vs. France
10 p.m., USA — Women’s Group: USA vs. France
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
U.S. Women Seek Eighth Straight Gold
(AP) — The U.S. women’s basketball team is on a historic run, winning seven straight Olympic gold medals. But the rest of the world is getting better.
The Americans, who haven’t lost an Olympic contest since 1992, won by an average of 16 points in the Tokyo Games. That was their smallest margin of victory since the streak started at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
The biggest challenge for the U.S. will once again be the limited prep time to practice as unit.
“The rest of the world is definitely improving,” six-time Olympic participant Diana Taurasi said. “It’s not as easy as it’s looked over the years.”
The 42-year-old Taurasi would know; she has been a part of the last five U.S. Olympic teams. She will be going for a record sixth gold medal in Paris.
The U.S. is trying to break a tie with the American men’s basketball team for most consecutive gold medals. The men won seven straight from 1936-68. The two basketball teams hold the longest streak for golds in a traditional team sport in Olympic history.
The Americans understand what’s ahead and are focused on the present and not their past. The goal is just to win in Paris and not look at the bigger picture of continuing the dynasty.
“That can’t be your every day thought and then you lose sight of what it takes to get there,” U.S. coach Cheryl Reeve said. “That’s the biggest thing you have to block out. There’s a huge nar-
rative we can’t escape with this being one of the greatest sports dynasties ever. It’s our first experience together with this group and this is our special journey, it’s about one gold medal.”
It’s definitely a special time for Brittney Griner, who is returning to the team for the Olympics. She missed the 2022 World Cup when she was detained in Russia for 10 months. “We were all thinking of BG when she was away and we didn’t know if this moment would be possible,” Reeve said. “I’m thrilled for her personally and thrilled for our basketball team.”
The Americans are in a pool with Japan, Belgium and Germany. The Japanese team were silver medalists at the 2021 Tokyo Games. Group A features Serbia, Spain, China, and Puerto Rico. Group B is comprised of Canada, France, Australia and Nigeria.
Play begins on Sunday, July 28 and ends with the gold medal game on the final day of the Olympics.
Here are some other things to watch for:
Welcome back Lauren Australia will receive a huge lift with the return of Lauren Jackson. The four-time WNBA MVP won three Olympic silver medals and one bronze with the Opals before retiring from playing in 2016 after knee injuries derailed her career. She returned for the 2022 World Cup in Australia and led the team to a bronze medal. Now the 43-year-old forward will be playing in her fifth Olympics.
“What Lauren has done is simply amazing,” Australia coach Sandy Brondello said. “She has a great basketball IQ and certainly will help us.”
Newcomers
Germany is making its first Olympic appearance led by the Sabally sisters — Nyara and Satou (who plays with the Dallas Wings). The Germans will host the 2026 World Cup and hope to have a strong showing in Paris where they are in a tough pool with the U.S., Belgium and Japan. “We’re just there to have fun,” Nyara Sabally said. “It’s basketball, you never know what’s going to happen. I’m really confident in our team and I think we have a really good team.
Looking for a win
African nations haven’t fared well at the Olympics, going 1-36 with Nigeria getting the lone victory in the 2004 Athens Games when they topped Korea in the 11th place contest. Nigeria will look to end that drought as the country plays in its third Olympics.
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Viewing guide to the XXXIII Olympic Summer Games
July 26-August 11, 2024 — Paris, France — Page 9
U.S. Men Face Tough Challenge in Paris
(AP) — There is one goal, and it’s always the same goal for USA Basketball. Another gold medal.
And the most recent gold was one of the toughest to get.
At the Tokyo Games three years ago, the U.S. trailed Spain by 10 in the quarterfinals, trailed Australia by 15 in the semifinals and beat France by only five in the gold-medal game. It was yet another reminder that in the international game, winning isn’t automatic for the Americans anymore.
“I hear a lot of people saying everybody’s catching up to us too, so that keeps us hungry, that keeps us motivated,” U.S. guard Devin Booker said. “We have a lot of respect for those guys, but basketball still lies here.”
Call that the mission within the mission for the U.S. in Paris: Winning is the goal, but there’s also a clear sense that it’d be nice to remind the rest of the world that — while there are great players hailing from all over the planet — no nation can put together a roster like the one the Americans have for these games. A 12-man roster, all of them All-Stars, led by veterans like three-time medalists LeBron James and Kevin Durant and an Olympic newcomer in Stephen Curry.
“It’s going to be historic for sure with this team, so I’m just happy to be a part of it, honestly,” said U.S. guard Anthony Edwards.
There is history on the line: Durant could become the first
men’s player with four Olympic basketball golds, James is seeking a third Olympic medal and the Americans are trying to win five Olympic titles in a row for the first time since winning the first seven competitions held from 1936 through 1968.
And the rest of the world is waiting.
Germany is the reigning World Cup champion, winning gold last summer in Manila.
Serbia and Canada also won medals at the World Cup, Canada captured its bronze by beating the Americans. And then there’s France, the home team, that now has both home-soil advantage and Victor Wembanyama leading the way.
“I can’t wait to face them,” Wembanyama said of the Americans.
If that matchup happens, it’ll be in the elimination rounds. France is in Group B, along with Germany, Japan and Brazil. The Group A pairing is Australia, Greece, Canada and Spain. And in Group C, it’s the U.S., Serbia, Puerto Rico and Olympic newcomer South Sudan.
Teams play a round robin against the others in their group. Following those three games, the first- and second-place finishers from each group make the quarterfinals along with the two best third-place teams.
“It just gets you back to just enjoying the, I guess you could say the purity of the game and what it takes to put a 12-man roster together,” Curry said. “And if everybody brings that right energy then we’ll get the most out of this experience.”
Daily TV Schedule
SATURDAY, AUG. 3
ARCHERY
6:50 a.m., E! — Archery, SoccerBADMINTON
12:30 p.m., CNBC — Women’s Doubles Gold Final BASKETBALL
10:15 a.m., NBC — Men’s Group C: TBD vs. USA BASKETBALL 3X3
11:45 a.m., CNBC — Pool Play
3 p.m., USA — Women’s Play-In Round BOXING
11:15 a.m., CNBC — Men’s Feather Quarterfinals & more CANOEING
8:30 a.m., 10:45 a.m. USA — Slalom: Men’s & Women’s Kayak Heats CYCLING
4 a.m., CNBC — Men’s Road Race EQUESTRIAN
2 p.m., E! — Dressage: Team FinalFENCING
5:45 a.m., E! — Women’s Team Sabre Quarterfinals
12 p.m., E! — Women’s Team Sabre Bronze/Gold Finals FIELD HOCKEY
6:15 a.m., USA — Women’s Pool B: USA vs. South Africa GOLF
6 a.m., GOLF — Men’s Round 3 GYMNASTICS
9:20 a.m. to 10 p.m. NBC — Women’s Vault Final HANDBALL
9 p.m., USA — Women’s Group Play ROWING
11:30 a.m., USA — Finals: Eights & more
2:45 p.m., NBC — Finals: Single Sculls, EightSHOOTING
10:45 a.m., CNBC — Men’s Skeet, Women’s 25m Pistol Finals SWIMMING
12:15 p.m., 10 p.m. NBC — Track & Field & Swimming TABLE TENNIS
7:45 a.m., USA — Women’s Singles: Gold Final TRACK & FIELD
12:10 p.m., USA, NBC — Finals: Women’s 100m & more
10 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 3)VOLLEYBALL
11 p.m., USA — Men’s Pool Play WATER POLO
9:30 a.m., USA — Men’s Group: Montenegro vs. USA SUNDAY, AUG. 4 ARCHERY
6:10 a.m., USA — Men’s Individual: Final BADMINTON
11:15 a.m., CNBC — Men’s Doubles: Gold Final
6 p.m., USA — Men’s Doubles: Gold Final BASKETBALL
10 p.m., USA — Women’s Group C: Germany vs. USA BASKETBALL 3X3
2:30 p.m., USA — Men’s Play-In Round BEACH VOLLEYBALL
2 p.m., CNBC — Round of 16
3 p.m., NBC — Round of 16 BOXING
3 p.m., CNBC — Men’s Middle, Women’s Bantam Semifinals & more CANOEING
8:30 a.m., USA — Slalom: Men’s Kayak Cross Heats 9:45 a.m., E! — Slalom: Women’s Kayak Cross Heats
United States forward LeBron James (6) takes the ball up-court during the first half of an exhibition basketball game against Canada.
Viewing guide to the XXXIII Olympic Summer Games
July 26-August 11, 2024 — Paris, France — Page 10
Daily TV Schedule
CYCLING
10:10 a.m., NBC — Cycling & more
3:30 p.m., USA — Women’s Road Race EQUESTRIAN
2:45 p.m., E! — Dressage: Individual FinalFENCING
7:50 a.m., E! — Men’s Team Foil Semifinals FIELD HOCKEY
8:45 p.m., USA — Men’s QuarterfinalGOLF
1 p.m., USA — Men’s Final RoundGYMNASTICS
9 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 4)HANDBALL
7:45 p.m., USA — Men’s Group Play SHOOTING
1:30 p.m., CNBC — Women’s Skeet FinalSOCCER
12:30 a.m., USA — Women’s Quarterfinal SWIMMING
11:30 a.m., NBC — Track & Field, Swimming
9 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 4) TABLE TENNIS
7 a.m., E! — Men’s Singles: Bronze Final
8 a.m., USA — Men’s Singles: Gold Final
6:45 p.m., USA — Men’s Singles: Gold Final TRACK & FIELD
11:30 a.m., NBC — Track & Field, Swimming
12 p.m., USA — Finals: Men’s 100m & moreVOLLEYBALL
4:30 a.m., E! — Women’s Pool Play
4 p.m., NBC — Women’s Pool Play
MONDAY, AUG. 5 ARTISTIC SWIMMING
1 p.m., E! — Team: Technical Routine BADMINTON
7 p.m., 8:30 p.m. USA — Women’s Singles: Gold Final BASKETBALL 3X3
3 p.m., NBC — Men’s & Women’s Gold Finals
9:30 p.m., USA — Men’s & Women’s Bronze Finals BEACH VOLLEYBALL
10 a.m., E! — Round of 16
4 p.m., NBC — Round of 16 CANOEING
8:30 a.m., USA — Slalom: Kayak Cross FinalsCYCLING
8 p.m., USA — Women’s Team Sprint DIVING
3 a.m., E! — Women’s 10m Platform Preliminary 8:05 a.m., E! — Women’s 10m Platform Semifinal EQUESTRIAN
3 p.m., E! — Jumping: Individual QualifierFIELD HOCKEY
1 p.m., USA — Women’s QuarterfinalGYMNASTICS
10 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 5) SHOOTING
10:05 a.m., USA — Mixed Team Skeet Final SOCCER
11 a.m., E! — Men’s Semifinal
2:30 p.m., USA — Men’s Semifinal SPORT CLIMBING
8 a.m., USA — Men’s Combined, Women’s Speed
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
Richardson, Lyles Seek First Olympic Golds
(AP) — There are big races, and then there are the Olympics.
When Sha’Carri Richardson, Noah Lyles and all the other fastest runners and best jumpers and throwers of 2024 line up for the Olympic track and field meet, little of what they’ve done on the road to Paris will mean much. What will matter is how they respond to pressure when the spotlight is on.
Will they end up shining as brightly as a Usain Bolt or Carl Lewis, whose knack for performing when Olympic gold medals were at stake turned them into larger-than-life icons?
Or will they be more like Jamaican sprinter Shericka Jackson and American hurdler Grant Holloway, among the best performers of their generation but still looking to parlay all that talent into a spot at the top of the Olympic podium?
“Right now, I do not hold a gold medal in the Olympics,” said Lyles, who counts the bronze medal he won in the 200 meters at the Tokyo Games among his biggest disappointments. “I have multiple world championships, and national championships, as well. The only one that’s missing from the list is an Olympic gold. And I’m planning on leaving with a lot of those.”
The dramas involving Richardson, Lyles and everyone else will play out in 48 events spread over 10 days, with most of the action taking place at the Stade de France, starting Aug. 2. As an added bonus, there will
JOBFAIR LAWRENCE
Noah Lyles celebrates after winning the men’s 100-meter final during the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Team Trials.
be a bonus: a first-of-its-kind $50,000 payout to all 48 gold medalists, courtesy of World Athletics, the organization that runs global track.
The near 2,200 athletes competing in the Olympics’ biggest sport are well aware that the money is great, but the gold medal brings an air of immortality that only an Olympic title can.
“The moment only comes once every four years,” Holloway said. “If you’re not training to be an Olympic gold medalist, then what the hell are you doing? That’s my mentality.”
Richardson’s first Olympics Richardson makes her Olympic debut after her much-discussed absence from the last Olympics due to a positive marijuana test.
Her current form, her status as the reigning world champion, along with the absence of twotime defending champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, all make
Richardson the sprinter to beat in the women’s 100. But it won’t be a gimme.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is heading to her fifth (and final) Olympics and has won this race twice. Jackson is a 200 specialist (see below) but also one of the fastest in the world at this distance.
Lyles tries to win the sprint double Lyles attributes a lot of his bad finish in 2021 to depression that kept him from focusing . That race is the only 200-meter sprint he’s lost at a major championship.
By the time the 200 final comes around on Aug. 8, the 100 will be in the rearview mirror and we’ll know if Lyles has a chance to complete a sprint double, a la Bolt, and Lewis before him. Lyles is the reigning world
Continued on Page 11
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Track Preview, From 10
champ at 100, but he’s less seasoned at that distance.
Just last month, another Jamaican, Kishane Thompson, ran 9.77 to head into his first Olympics with the world’s best time. Also, Jamaica’s Oblique Seville beat Lyles head-to-head at a meet in Kingston in June. But a tune-up in Kingston and the Olympics in Paris are two different animals.
Distance demons
In Tokyo, Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands pulled off one of the most amazing feat s in Olympic history by winning medals in the 1,500 (bronze), 5,000 (gold) and 10,000 meters (gold).
She’s coming back for more, and has even floated the idea that she might do those three, then add the marathon, which takes place on the last day of the Olympics, to her schedule.
“I will decide a week before,” Hassan said in a recent interview.
“Maybe I’m gonna have great training somehow, somewhere.”
As always, Hassan, and her quest for medals, will face a stern challenge Faith Kipyegon of Kenya, who is the reigning world champion at 1,500 and 5,000 meters. Kipyegon broke her own world record at 1,500 in an Olympic tune-up this month, finishing in 3:49.04.
Holloway’s bad race
Holloway is a three-time world champion in the 110 hurdles, and a favorite to win on Aug. 8. He was a favorite three years ago in Tokyo too, but weakened down the stretch, and fell to Hansle Parchment of Jamaica.
Viewing guide to the XXXIII Olympic Summer Games
Holloway is 9-3 in head-tohead matchups with Parchment, and even 2-1 against him at the Olympics. But the two victories came in preliminary rounds and that loss came with the gold medal on the line.
Jackson’s bad day
Jackson is the only woman other than the late Florence Griffith Joyner to run the 200 meters in 21.48 or faster. So, why hasn’t most of the world heard of her?
At the last Olympics, she put on the brakes too early in her opening heat, finished fourth and never even got to race in the final for the gold. It’s a mistake she called the most devastating of her career, and one that has fueled her run to Paris.
Now, more trouble. She failed to finish a July 9 tune-up race in Hungary, and it was unclear if she is healthy going into the Olympics.
If Jackson isn’t in the lineup, American Gabby Thomas, who comes in with this year’s fastest time (21.78) and a bronze medal from Tokyo, would be the clear favorite.
Jumping for Ukraine
Anyone who says sports and politics do not intersect might want to tune in Aug. 4, when Ukrainian high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh takes the field.
Mahuchikh is coming in just a few weeks after breaking a 37-year-old world record in her event, jumping 2.10 meters at an Olympic tune-up in Paris.
World Athletics has not allowed Russians in international meets since the war with Ukraine broke out. It means Maria Lasitskene will not be on hand to defend her Olympic title. Lasitskene also wasn’t present last year when Mahuchikh won the title on an emotional closing day at world championships.
Daily TV Schedule
TRACK & FIELD
12 p.m., 10 p.m. NBC — Finals: W 800m, W 5000m & more TRIATHLON
10 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 5)VOLLEYBALL
5 p.m., USA — Men’s QuarterfinalWATER POLO
11:30 a.m., USA — Men’s Group: Croatia vs. USA WRESTLING
4 p.m., USA — GR 60kg, 130kg & W Freestyle 68kg Eliminations
TUESDAY, AUG. 6
ARTISTIC SWIMMING
1 p.m., E! — Team: Free RoutineBADMINTON
2 a.m., USA — Men’s Singles: Gold Final BASKETBALL
7:30 a.m., E! — Men’s Quarterfinal
2:15 p.m., USA — Men’s Quarterfinal
10:30 p.m., USA — Men’s QuarterfinalBEACH VOLLEYBALL
2 p.m., E! — Quarterfinal
3 p.m., NBC — Quarterfinal
9:30 p.m., USA — Quarterfinal BOXING
9 p.m., USA — Women’s Light, Men’s Welter Finals & more CANOEING
9:45 a.m., E! — Sprint: Canoe, Kayak HeatsCYCLING
1:15 p.m., USA — Beach Volleyball, CyclingDIVING
3 a.m., E! — Men’s 3m Springboard Preliminary 10 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 6)EQUESTRIAN
3 p.m., E! — Jumping: Individual FinalFIELD HOCKEY
7 p.m., USA — Men’s Semifinal HANDBALL
5:15 a.m., E! — Women’s Quarterfinal
9:45 a.m., USA — Women’s Quarterfinal
8 p.m., USA — Women’s QuarterfinalSKATEBOARDING
7 a.m., USA — Women’s Park: Preliminary Round
10:30 a.m., USA — Women’s Park: Final
10 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 6) SOCCER
11 a.m., E! — Women’s Semifinal SPORT CLIMBING
6 a.m., USA — Men’s Speed: QualificationTABLE TENNIS
6:30 a.m., E! — M&W Team: Round of 16 TRACK & FIELD
12:35 p.m., NBC — Finals: Women’s 200m & more
10 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 6)VOLLEYBALL
8:30 a.m., USA — Women’s Quarterfinal
5 p.m., USA — Women’s Quarterfinal WATER POLO
9:15 a.m., E! — Women’s Quarterfinal
12 p.m., USA — Women’s Quarterfinal
4 p.m., NBC — Women’s QuarterfinalWRESTLING
July 26-August 11, 2024 — Paris, France — Page 11 CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
11:15 a.m., USA — GR 77kg, 97kg & W Freestyle 50kg Eliminations
Sha’Carri
Viewing guide to the XXXIII Olympic Summer Games
July 26-August 11, 2024 — Paris, France — Page 12
Daily TV Schedule
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 7
ARTISTIC SWIMMING
12:40 p.m., E! — Team: Acrobatic Routine
4 p.m., NBC — Team: Acrobatic Routine BASKETBALL
2:15 p.m., USA — Women’s Quarterfinal
10:30 p.m., USA — Women’s QuarterfinalBEACH VOLLEYBALL
11 a.m., NBC — Quarterfinals
9:30 p.m., USA — Quarterfinal BOXING
9 p.m., USA — Men’s Middle, Light Finals & more CANOEING
11:15 a.m., USA — Sprint: Canoe, Kayak Heats CYCLING
11 a.m., E! — Team Pursuit Finals DIVING
8:10 a.m., E! — Women’s 3m Springboard Preliminary
10 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 7) FIELD HOCKEY
7 p.m., USA — Women’s SemifinalGOLF
6 a.m., GOLF — Women’s Round 1 HANDBALL
8:30 a.m., USA — Men’s Quarterfinal
1:45 p.m., USA — Men’s Quarterfinal
8 p.m., USA — Men’s QuarterfinalSKATEBOARDING
6:05 a.m., USA — Men’s Park: Preliminary Round 10:30 a.m., USA — Men’s Park: Final SPORT CLIMBING
6:35 a.m., NBC — NBC Late Night (Aug. 6)
5 a.m., E! — Men’s Combined, Women’s Speed TABLE TENNIS
6 a.m., E! — M&W Team: Quarterfinals TRACK & FIELD
12:30 a.m., USA — Mixed Team Race Walk
3:30 a.m., USA — Heats: Men’s 800m & more
12 p.m., NBC — Finals: Men’s 400m & more
10 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 7)VOLLEYBALL
3 p.m., E! — Men’s Semifinal
5 p.m., USA — Men’s SemifinalWATER POLO
7 a.m., E! — Men’s Quarterfinal
12 p.m., USA — Men’s QuarterfinalWEIGHTLIFTING
1:15 p.m., USA — Men’s 61kg Final WRESTLING
10 a.m., USA — GR 67kg, 87kg & W Freestyle 53kg Eliminations THURSDAY, AUG. 8 BASKETBALL
10:30 a.m., USA — Men’s Semifinal
1:45 p.m., USA — Men’s Semifinal
10:30 p.m., USA — Men’s SemifinalBEACH VOLLEYBALL
11 a.m., NBC — Men’s Semifinal
3 p.m., 10 p.m. NBC — Men’s Semifinal BOXING
9 a.m., USA — Men’s Middle, Light Finals & more CANOEING
6 a.m., E! — Sprint: Canoe, Kayak Semi, Finals CYCLING
1:35 a.m., NBC — NBC Late Night (Aug. 7)
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
Harrison Seeks Repeat Gold in Canoe
By CLIFF BRUNT AP Sports Writer
Nevin Harrison’s dreams came true in Tokyo when she won the inaugural Olympic women’s canoe sprint 200 at age 19.
Much of what followed the American’s gold-medal moment has seemed more like a nightmare.
The Seattle native fought through chronic lower back pain that made it hard for her to get out of bed at times last summer. She has dealt with a hamstring injury and had issues with her previous coach. As her results fell short of boosted expectations, she said some questioned if she would be a one-hit wonder.
“Once you have a big accomplishment like that, it becomes everybody’s business instead of just yours,” she said.
She said a sports psychologist helped her, and now she’s back and ready to go for the Paris Olympics with a new coach in Joseph Harper. She said she wants to do this right.
“There was no other person that was going to get me to where I wanted to be,” said Harrison, now 22.
“And if I continued in that negative headspace and really was just a complete mess, that I wasn’t going to reach my goals.
“And then I was going to kind of waste all this time chasing after something that I was blowing for myself.”
Doing it right, she believes, includes making another run at gold. She wants to do it all again, with the benefit of the wisdom she’s gained in the past three years.
“I think a good motivator is knowing the feeling of how it feels to win a gold,” she said. “It’s not like, ‘It would be so amazing to do that.’ It’s like, I know exactly how that felt, and that’s exactly how
I want to feel again. So it’s kind of like knowing the feeling that I’m searching for, which is helpful.”
Harrison said the lead-up to this Olympics is much different. She said there is more pressure this time, but she’s learned to embrace the attention.
Harper said Harrison became a victim of her success. She knocked off Canada’s Laurence Vincent Lapointe, a multiple-time world champion, to win in 2021. Harper said Harrison’s strong performance in the upset motivated the competition.
“She raised the bar so high with her performance in Tokyo that it’s her fault that it’s not as easy as it was,” Harper said. “I’m not saying it was easy, but it’s
her fault that all the other girls in the world are now trying to get to the bar that she raised too.
“And a lot of them have reached these newer heights.”
Harper said Harrison remains among the world’s best because of her power and explosiveness, coupled with a rare work ethic.
It hasn’t been all bad for Harrison since winning the gold – she won the world championship in the 200 sprint in 2022, qualified for the U.S. Olympic quota spot by finishing fourth at the 2023 world championships and won the U.S. Olympic trials in March.
Harper said Harrison knows how to “turn on the game face” and believes she is a threat to win in Paris.
“She’s very, very determined that way,” he said. “Like, second place is not an option for her. I think a common theme of all the greats in all the different sports is people say that athlete hates to lose. Nobody likes to lose. But the greats hate to lose with a passion.”
A surfer rides a wave in Teahupo’o, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
Olympic Surf
Spot
Will Cause Waves
(AP) — This month some of the world’s best surfers will travel to Tahiti, French Polynesia, to compete for Olympic gold on what is known as one of the heaviest waves in the world. The wave has unique properties that make it difficult to ride, having claimed the life of at least one surfer.
Located on the lush mountainous southwestern coast of Tahiti, Teahupo’o is often referred to as “the end of the road” in the surfing community. The nickname is both literal and figurative: The wave is located where roads end on the island, but it is also considered a crown jewel in surfing destinations. How the wave forms is considered a natural marvel: The pitch and shape of the barrels of water come from Southern Ocean swells that bend and race along a large, shallow reef. The wave leaves from a sloped bottom, hurling toward the reef and breaking below sea level. The left-handed waves are usually between 6-10 feet high but can exceed 20 feet.
Viewing guide to the XXXIII Olympic Summer Games
July 26-August 11, 2024 — Paris, France — Page 13
China’s Goal? Sweep Diving
(AP) — Chinese divers won seven of eight gold medals at the last Olympics in Tokyo, termed one of the greatest performances in Olympic history. Even more is expected this time in Paris.
China has ruled diving for decades. But it’s never pulled off the elusive gold sweep at the Games. “I hope that all of us can stand on the top of the podium,” Tokyo gold medalist Quan Hongchan said in an interview. They might, and the record is already staggering.
Starting with the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics where China claimed its first diving gold, it has won 47 of 64 gold medals. Add to that 23 silver and 10 bronze. If you start counting from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Chinese have won 27 of 32 gold.
That’s almost perfection, but someone always spoils the party — like American David Boudia, Australian Matthew Mitcham, Briton Tom Daley or Russian Ilya Zakharov.
Eight is viewed as fortuitous in Chinese culture. Note the 2008 Beijing Games opened on Aug. 8, 2008, at 8 p.m.
Quan was only 14 when she won gold three years ago on the 10-meter platform. Teammate Chen Yuxi, the gold medalist in synchro on the platform, was only 15. Both are back.
For the men, Wang Zongyuan was the silver medalist on the 3-meter springboard in Tokyo behind teammate Xie Siyi and should be the favorite in Paris.
Chen Yuxi competes in women’s diving 10-meter platform final at the 2020 Olympics.
The American challenge
This will be Drew Johansen’s fourth straight Olympics as the U.S. diving coach.
Three silver medalists from Tokyo return: Andrew Capobianco, Jessica Parratto and Delaney Schnell. They all made the podium in synchronized events, and those events may offer the best chances for the Americans and others.
Parratto will dive again with Schnell in the 10-meter synchronized platform, and Capobianco is on the 3-meter springboard.
“The world has been catching up to the Chinese in all the events except for women’s platform,” Johansen said.
“Chinese women on the tower are still way ahead of the world.”
Daily TV Schedule
DIVING
8 a.m., E! — Men’s 3m Springboard Final
11 a.m., NBC — Men’s Semifinal
10 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 8) FIELD HOCKEY
4 p.m., E! — Field Hockey, Women’s Kite Final
8:30 p.m., USA — Men’s Gold FinalGOLF
6 a.m., GOLF — Women’s Round 2 HANDBALL
3 p.m., E! — Women’s Semifinal RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS
7 a.m., E! — Individual All-Around Qualification SAILING
4 p.m., E! — Field Hockey, Women’s Kite Final SPORT CLIMBING
4:45 a.m., E! — Men’s Speed, Women’s CombinedSWIMMING
12:30 a.m., USA — Women’s 10km Open Water TABLE TENNIS
2:35 a.m., USA — M&W Team: Quarterfinals
6 a.m., USA — Men’s Team: Semifinals TAEKWONDO
9:30 a.m., USA — W 49kg, M 58kg Bronze/Gold Finals TRACK & FIELD
3 a.m., USA — Heats: Men’s & Women’s 4x100m & more
12:35 p.m., NBC — Finals: Men’s 200m & more
10 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 8)VOLLEYBALL
5 p.m., USA — Women’s Semifinal
7 p.m., USA — Women’s SemifinalWATER POLO
7:30 a.m., USA — Water Polo, Weightlifting 12:30 p.m., USA — Women’s Semifinal
4 p.m., NBC — Women’s Semifinal
9:30 p.m., USA — Women’s Semifinal WEIGHTLIFTING
7:30 a.m., USA — Water Polo, WeightliftingWRESTLING
10 a.m., USA — M 57kg, W 57kg Freestyle Eliminations
4 p.m., USA — Finals: GR 67kg, W Freestyle 53kg & more FRIDAY, AUG. 9 ARTISTIC SWIMMING
2:45 p.m., E! — Duet: Technical Routine BASKETBALL
5 p.m., USA — Women’s Semifinal
7 p.m., USA — Women’s Semifinal BEACH VOLLEYBALL
2 p.m., USA — Women’s Bronze Final
3:30 p.m., NBC — Women’s Gold Final
10 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 9) BOXING
6:45 a.m., USA — Boxing, TaekwondoBREAKING
9 a.m., E! — Women’s Qualification
1 p.m., E! — Women’s Final
10 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 9) CANOEING
1:35 a.m., NBC — NBC Late Night (Aug. 8)
6:15 a.m., E! — Sprint: Canoe, Kayak FinalsCYCLING
2:30 a.m., USA — Women’s Keirin, Men’s Omnium
12 p.m., E! — Men’s Sprint, Women’s Madison
Viewing guide to the XXXIII Olympic Summer Games
July 26-August 11, 2024 — Paris, France — Page 14
Daily TV Schedule
DIVING
3 a.m., E! — Men’s 10m Platform Preliminary FIELD HOCKEY
USA — Women’s Bronze Final
8:30 p.m., USA — Women’s Gold Final GOLF
6 a.m., GOLF — Women’s Round 3 HANDBALL
9:30 p.m., USA — Men’s Semifinal
10:30 p.m., USA — Men’s SemifinalRHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS
7 a.m., E! — Group Qualification
3 p.m., NBC — Individual All-Around FinalSOCCER
USA — Women’s Bronze Final
USA — Men’s Gold Final SPORT CLIMBING
1:35 a.m., NBC — NBC Late Night (Aug. 8)
5:40 a.m., E! — Men’s Combined: Final SWIMMING
12:30 a.m., USA — Men’s 10km Open Water TABLE TENNIS
11:15 a.m., E! — Men’s Team: Bronze Final
3 p.m., USA — Men’s Team: Gold Final TAEKWONDO
6:45 a.m., USA — Boxing, Taekwondo TRACK & FIELD
3 a.m., USA — Heats: Men’s & Women’s 4x400m & more
12:30 p.m., NBC — Finals: Men’s & Women’s 4x100m & more
10 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 9)VOLLEYBALL
1 p.m., USA — Men’s Bronze Final WATER POLO
7:30 a.m., E! — Water Polo & more
4 p.m., E! — Men’s SemifinalWEIGHTLIFTING
6:15 a.m., USA — Men’s 73kg, Women’s 59kg Finals WRESTLING
7:30 a.m., USA — M 74kg, 125kg, W 62kg Freestyle Eliminations
4 p.m., USA — Finals: M&W Freestyle 57kg & more
SATURDAY, AUG. 10 ARTISTIC SWIMMING
2:45 p.m., E! — Duet: Free RoutineBASKETBALL
4 a.m., USA — Men’s Bronze Final
12 p.m., USA — Men’s Bronze Final
2:30 p.m., NBC — Men’s Gold FinalBEACH VOLLEYBALL
4:30 a.m., CNBC — Canoeing & Beach Volleyball
2 p.m., USA — Men’s Bronze Final
3:30 p.m., USA — Men’s Gold FinalBOXING
6 a.m., USA — Boxing, Taekwondo
2:30 p.m., CNBC — Men’s, Women’s Feather Finals
4:15 p.m., CNBC — Women’s Middle, Men’s Super Heavy Finals BREAKING
9:30 a.m., E! — Men’s Qualification
1 p.m., E! — Men’s Final CANOEING
6 a.m., CNBC — Sprint: Canoe Finals CYCLING
1:30 p.m., CNBC — Men’s Madison Final & more DIVING
10 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 10)
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
Snyder Looking for 2nd Wrestling Gold
(AP) — Kyle Snyder already has one of the best resumes ever for a U.S. wrestler, and he’s just now hitting his prime.
At age 20, he became the youngest American wrestler to win Olympic gold when he achieved the feat at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, and then he claimed silver at the Tokyo Games. He was a three-time NCAA champion at Ohio State and has won three world championships.
Now 28, Snyder looks to add to his legacy at the Paris Olympics. If he wins gold in the 97-kilogram freestyle category, he would join George Mehnert, John Smith and Bruce Baumgartner as the only American two-time gold medalists.
a world championship in 2023.
Snyder said the 6-foot 2 Tazhudinov has exceptional reach and is a technically
sound defensive wrestler who excels at taking advantage of his opponents’ mistakes.
Committee. The International Olympic Committee did not include Sadulaev on its list of eligible athletes from Russia and Belarus for the Paris Game. He had been barred from Olympic qualifiers in April by United World Wrestling, the sport’s governing body, for his support of the Ukraine-Russia war.
Snyder believes he will be prepared, regardless of the opponent. He said he became a dominant wrestler because he challenged the best in practice along the way.
He says he’s his best version of himself heading into Paris.
“My body feels stronger and in better condition than it’s ever been,” he said. “So I feel really good. And technically, I’m getting better and better and focusing on the right things in practice.”
Snyder has been solid in the years since Tokyo, winning a world championship in 2022 and claiming bronze at the 2023 worlds.
He won’t have an easy path back to the top of the podium. He may have to contend with 21-year-old Akhmed Tazhudinov of Bahrain, who defeated him 10-0 on his way to
“He just wrestles in a lot of weird positions and scrambles well,” Snyder said. “He’s able to think while he’s on the mat and make adjustments.”
U.S. men’s freestyle coach Bill Zadick said Snyder is at his best when challenged.
“I think Kyle Snyder is the type of guy that thrives at that opportunity and that challenge,” Zadick said. “He wants to be the guy that has the toughest road, the greatest competition. And he wants to be the guy. He likes to test himself. He likes to know where it’s at.”
One challenger who won’t be there is Abdulrashid Sadulaev, who beat Snyder for the gold in Tokyo. Sadulaev competed there as part of the Russian Olympic
“Ever since I was a kid, I always thought I was going to win in everything I ever did,” he said. “I don’t know why I felt that way. I wrestled people that were older, better and stronger and bigger, and they kicked my butt. And then the next time we wrestle, I’d think I’d win. And then they kicked my butt. And we did that for a long time, and eventually I’d catch up to them.”
Snyder adds a high level of intelligence to exceptional physical tools and his willingness to be tested. Zadick said that even when Snyder was a teenager, he was “like a 30-year-old pro, 28-year-old pro, trapped in a 17-year-old body.”
“He’s really sharp, really smart,” Zadick said. “I think he’s thinking in an innovative way and adding new things to his style and being creative. And so, I’m excited for him. He just loves that. He loves what he does.”
Viewing guide to the XXXIII Olympic Summer Games
July 26-August 11, 2024 — Paris, France — Page 15
Golf in the Olympics Is Starting to Catch On
(AP) — One of the best indications that golf was starting to catch on as an Olympic sport came from a player who never even made it to the podium.
Rory McIlroy was part of a seven-man playoff for the bronze medal at the Tokyo Games. He said when it was over, “I never tried so hard to finish third.”
McIlroy was among those who skipped the Olympics when golf returned to the program in 2016. He said then he wouldn’t be watching golf, only “the stuff that matters.” The next time around, he was all in.
And he’s not alone. Only two eligible players are sitting out the men’s competition when it begins Aug. 1.
One is Bernd Wiesberger
of Austria, who withdrew from the Tokyo Games. The other is Cristobal del Solar of Chile, who plays on the Korn Ferry Tour and doesn’t want to miss a week.
The Americans have two players in the top 10 who won’t be going, including U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau.
Given the endless golf schedule, the silver claret jug from the British Open will be awarded just 11 days before the pursuit of a gold medal.
“For track and field, gymnastics, winning a gold medal from when you were a kid was the top of the top,” said Xander Schauffele, who won his first major this year at the PGA Championship. “People ask me now about a major and a gold medal. Growing up, it was about
watching the majors. Maybe in 50 years it will be different.”
Scottie Scheffler remains the clear favorite everywhere he goes.
“Playing for your country is always extremely exciting. Especially I think it will be extra special doing it on the Olympic stage,” Scheffler said. “It’s also good bragging rights for people when they tell me golf’s not a sport. I can say it’s an Olympic sport.”
Nelly Korda is more of a mystery.
The American, who will be 26 when the women’s competition begins, was unbeatable in March and April. But then she took a 10 on one hole in the U.S. Women’s Open and shot 80, missing the cut. She missed another.
Daily TV Schedule
GOLF
6 a.m., GOLF — Women’s Final Round HANDBALL
3 a.m., CNBC — Women’s Bronze Final
8 a.m., USA — Women’s Gold Final
7 p.m., USA — Women’s Gold FinalRHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS
11:30 p.m., USA — Individual All-Around Final
7 a.m., CNBC — Group Final
11:15 a.m., E! — Group Final SOCCER
5 p.m., USA — Women’s Gold FinalSPORT CLIMBING
6:30 a.m., E! — Women’s Combined: Final TABLE TENNIS
8:30 a.m., CNBC — Women’s Team: Bronze Final
12:15 p.m., CNBC — Women’s Team: Gold Final TAEKWONDO
6 a.m., USA — Boxing, Taekwondo
3:40 p.m., CNBC — W 67+kg, M 80+kg Bronze/Gold Finals TRACK & FIELD
10 a.m., NBC — Men’s Marathon
12 p.m., NBC — Finals: Men’s & Women’s 4x400m & more
10 p.m., NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 10)VOLLEYBALL
10:15 a.m., CNBC — Women’s Bronze Final WATER POLO
8:30 p.m., USA — Women’s Bronze Final
9:30 p.m., USA — Women’s Gold Final WEIGHTLIFTING
7 a.m., USA — Men’s 102kg Final
2 p.m., CNBC — Women’s 81kg Final
3 p.m., CNBC — Men’s 102+kg Final WRESTLING
7:30 a.m., USA — M65kg, 97kg, W 76kg Freestyle Eliminations
3 p.m., USA — Finals: M 74kg, 125kg, W 62kg Freestyle
SUNDAY, AUG. 11 BASKETBALL
11 p.m., USA — Men’s Gold Final 4:45 a.m., USA — Women’s Bronze Final
8:30 a.m., NBC — Women’s Gold Final
2:30 p.m., USA — Women’s Gold Final BEACH VOLLEYBALL
1:30 a.m., NBC — NBC Late Night (Aug. 10)CEREMONY
1 p.m., NBC — Closing Ceremony: Live from the 2024 Paris Olympics
9 p.m., NBC — Closing Ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics CYCLING
8 a.m., NBC — Men’s Keirin, Women’s Sprint, Omnium HANDBALL
6:30 a.m., USA — Men’s Gold Final
10 a.m., USA — Men’s Bronze Final
11 a.m., USA — Men’s Gold Final SPORT CLIMBING
1:30 a.m., NBC — NBC Late Night (Aug. 10) TRACK & FIELD
1 a.m., USA — Women’s Marathon
11 a.m., NBC — Women’s Marathon WATER POLO
8 a.m., USA — Men’s Gold Final
12:30 p.m., USA — Men’s Bronze Final
1:30 p.m., USA — Men’s Gold Final WEIGHTLIFTING
8:30 a.m., USA — Women’s 81+kg Final WRESTLING
9 a.m., USA — Finals: M 65kg, 97kg, W 76kg Freestyle
Nelly Korda, of the United States, bites her gold medal of the women’s golf event at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021, at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kawagoe, Japan. Korda will be a strong favorite to win another gold at the Paris Games.
Viewing guide to the XXXIII Olympic Summer Games
July 26-August 11, 2024 — Paris, France — Page 16
From Biles to Sha’Carri, Team USA Packed With Star Power
(AP) — From Simone Biles to Sha’Carri Richardson and Diana Taurasi to Katie Ledecky, Team USA will provide some of the biggest star power at the 2024 Olympic Games.
And it will be the women leading the way as the U.S. looks to top the overall medal table for the eighth consecutive Summer Games.
The nearly 600 athletes going to the Paris Olympics include more than 250 returning Olympians and 122 Olympic medalists. Golfers Xander Schauffele and Nelly Korda, along with surfer Carissa Moore, are among the numerous Olympians set to defend their titles in France.
It’s a loaded U.S. roster where the women outnumber the men 314 to 278 — at last count — and ages range from 16 to 59. The most decorated member of Team USA in Paris will be Ledecky, who’s trying to add to her collection of 10 medals (seven golds).
Comebacks and redemption
Biles is back in action after pulling out of multiple gymnastics finals in Tokyo to protect her mental health and safety. There’s Richardson making her Olympic debut after a much-debated absence three years ago because of a positive marijuana test.
The 27-year-old Biles leads a U.S. women’s gymnastics team filled with familiar faces and looking for redemption in Paris. The team settled for silver three years ago behind the Russian athletes competing as the Russian Olympic Committee. Richardson has become a media sensation for her speed, charisma and perseverance. The 100-meter world champion earned a spot for Tokyo in 2021 but was banned following her
positive test for marijuana. It sparked an intense debate about whether she was being unfairly singled out for taking a substance that doesn’t improve performance.
Richardson said she was “overwhelmed with the emotions of just joy” after making the team.
Star power on the court
On the court, hoops royalty LeBron James and Taurasi lead their teams. And it’s no surprise that the men’s and women’s basketball squads brimming with talent are heavy favorites to bring home the gold.
James, Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry join forces to lead a U.S. contingent going for a fifth straight Olympic title. A’ja Wilson,
Brittney Griner and Taurasi headline a women’s squad that has won seven consecutive Olympic gold medals. Taurasi has been a part of five of them.
Who else is on the Team USA roster?
Decorated swimmers Ledecky and Caeleb Dressel are on deck to shine again in the pool, and majors winners and world No. 1 golfers Scottie Scheffler and Korda take to the links.
“We’re telling these stories — we’re laughing, we’re crying, we’re cheering them on,” said Lyndsay Signor, senior vice president of consumer engagement at NBC Sports. “So that really warrants both the combination of the athletes themselves and
the celebrities we’ve partnered with.”
NBC has been airing promotional Olympic material around the clock. There’s Biles being interviewed by singer SZA. Other athletes featured in spots include Richardson, sprinter Noah Lyles, 400-meter hurdles world-record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Ledecky and reigning Olympic all-around gymnastics winner Suni Lee.
The U.S. women’s soccer team, led by new coach Emma Hayes, chases after its first Olympic gold since 2012 and Victor Montalvo — “B-Boy Victor” — will be a contender when breaking makes its Olympic debut in Paris. Coco Gauff is among
the favorites to bring home a medal on the clay courts at Roland Garros, the site of the French Open. Medal forecast
That abundance of star power is why Nielsen’s Gracenote forecasts the U.S. hauling in 123 medals. That’s ahead of China (87), Britain (62) and France (56). This could be the eighth straight Summer Games where the Americans have topped the medal table.
“If American athletes win, that drives ratings and endorsements, and makes it attractive for American corporations to invest in the Olympic movement,” said Dr. Yoav Dubinsky, an instructor of sports business from the Lundquist College of Business at the University of Oregon. “All part of the story of American lifestyle. Their successes, and at times failures or adversities, contribute to Brand America.” Olympic entertainers
NBC brought in Academy Award-winning director Steven Spielberg to narrate a short film titled, “Land of Stories,” where the Olympics set a scene to tell tales.
Even more stars will participate in the network’s coverage as celebrities Snoop Dogg, Kelly Clarkson, Peyton Manning, Colin Jost, Leslie Jones and Jimmy Fallon make appearances.
Snoop already is trotting out his tracksuits to get in some work. The 52-year-old hip-hop star ran a 200-meter race against Ato Boldon and Wallace Spearmon at the Olympic track trials in Eugene, Oregon, last month. His time was 34.44 seconds. Usain Bolt’s world record of 19.19 remains safe.
“(Snoop) has really brought a perspective that’s not only fun and interesting,” Signor said, “it’s lovable as well.”
Simone Biles and the U.S. women celebrate as the 2024 team is named at the United States Gymnastics Olympic Trials on Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Minneapolis.