OLYMPICS IN HIGH HEELS: RIO GAMES 8/6/16
STAMFORD, Conn. – August 6, 2016 – Coming up on NBC Olympics’ coverage of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:
- Tonight at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC, Kerri Walsh Jennings and new Olympic partner April Ross of the United States make their debut as an Olympic team in women’s beach volleyball. In swimming finals coverage, Connor Jaeger and Conor Dwyer compete against a stacked field in the men’s 400m free, plus the men’s and women’s 400m IM events, the latter featuring U.S. contenders in 2012 Olympic silver medalist Elizabeth Beisel and 2015 Worlds silver medalist Maya DiRado. For more information on tonight’sprimetime program on NBC, click here.
- Tomorrow’s live coverage on NBCSN is highlighted by women’s basketball, including Team USA vs. Senegal in a preliminary-round matchup at 11 a.m. ET, as the Americans begin their run for a sixth consecutive gold medal. Coverage on NBCSN begins with women’s beach volleyball at 9 a.m. ET, and also includes gold medal finals in women’s archery, weightlifting, and judo.
- MSNBC’s live coverage begins at noon ET, and includes men’s and women’s beach volleyball, men’s fencing, and men’s handball. USA Network’s coverage begins at noon ET, and includes live women’s rugby preliminary-round action, as the U.S. faces Australia.
Click here for a preview of tonight’s primetime action.
FOLLOWING ARE HIGHLIGHTS FROM TODAY’S COVERAGE OF THE 2016 RIO OLYMPIC GAMES ON NBC AND NBCUNIVERSAL’S CABLE NETWORKS
NBC Olympics daytime host Al Michaels opening Saturday’s coverage: “It is Saturday morning here in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. More than 40 miles of this city is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and accentuated by a number of distinct mountain peaks. And for the next 16 days and nights, some 11,000 athletes from 206 countries will be competing in and around Rio as the Olympics have come to South America for the very first time. And from high above Rio, with the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue just behind me, I’m Al Michaels and it is Day 1 of the XXXI Olympiad. There has of course been a ton of attention paid to the problems leading up to these Games. Concerns about Zika, water pollution, doping, security, political upheaval – you’ve read about them all. We don’t know how any of those are going to play out, but here’s what we do know – this morning marks the first full day of competition and there is action unfolding all across Rio.”
Michaels: “You know, there are so many unbelievable vistas in the city…you see the pictures, and then you get here, and it’s more spectacular than you could ever imagine.”
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SHOOTING – NBCSN
Shooting analyst Shari LeGate on 19-year-old Team USA shooter Virginia Thrasher, who won the first gold medal of the Games in the 10m Air Rifle event: “I guarantee you, West Virginia University is going crazy right now. This girl is an amazing shooter. We’re going to see a lot of her in the years to come.”
Shooting play-by-play commentator Steve Schlanger on Thrasher: “She was a freshman in high school five years ago when she went on a hunting trip with her grandfather and her father. She surprised them shooting a deer on her very first try. They couldn’t believe it. That’s what sparked her interest in the sport, and here she is five years later, an Olympic gold medalist.”
Click here for a recap of Thrasher’s gold medal win.
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SWIMMING – NBC
Swimming analyst Rowdy Gaines on American swimmer Conor Dwyer, who qualified for tonight’s final in the 400m freestyle with a personal best time: “Unbelievable heat. Unbelievable time for Conor Dwyer…the U.S. may just have a big-time medal potential there in the finals. And that’s tonight.”
Swimming play-by-play commentators Dan Hicks: “Conor Dwyer a life-long Cubs fan – maybe this is the year for Conor Dwyer in the Olympics…it’s a personal best by more than a second.”
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ROAD CYCLING – NBC
Cycling play-by-play commentator Paul Sherwen amid stunning aerial views of the Rio road cycling course: “We have been around the world and have seen the Tour de France for many, many years… but have you ever seen a view like that?”
Cycling analyst Christian Vande Velde: “Not many. When we drove the course yesterday I was repeatedly struck in awe. And wait until they head a little farther west, about 20 miles outside of downtown Rio. You almost feel like you’re in Maui.”
With 102km to go, Vande Velde on the grueling pace and tough terrain: “We expected this to be the hardest road race ever in Olympic history, but we didn’t expect this level of difficulty so early in the day. They haven’t even reached the hardest part of the course yet. I think the cobblestones were a big surprise for everyone, as we saw a lot of water bottles flying and a lot of dropped chains.”
Sherwen on crash in the lead group down the descent with just over 10 km remaining: “Rafal Majka negotiated his way all around the debris on the road…Vincenzo Nibali sitting at the side of the road, it’s chaos behind for the riders trying to pick their way through. A few moments ago, a few seconds ago, those riders were looking at a medal on the podium. And now, it’s gone… we felt this was going to happen on the descent.”
Vande Velde with 1 km remaining, and three riders sprinting to the finish: “I have to give it to Greg Van Avermaet out of these guys. He’s the proven sprinter out of the three…he’s shown time and time again that he’s the fastest rider of a small group.”
Click here for highlights from the men’s road cycling race.
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TENNIS – BRAVO
Tennis analyst Paul Annacone on Madison Keys of the U.S. composing herself against Montenegro’s Danka Kovinic: “She had that little hiccup where we saw the frustration just a couple of games ago. But again, this has been part of the evolution in Madison Keys. She’s starting to get more consistent, more composed and can deal with some adversity. And that really is going to be the final ingredient for her to go from very, very good to great. My definition of great is a grand slam title holder or gold medalist.”
Click here for a recap of Keys’ victory over Kovinic.
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INDOOR VOLLEYBALL – NBC
Volleyball analyst Paul Sunderland on South Korea volleyball player Kim Yeon-Koung in its match vs. Japan: “There’s no question that she’s the best all-around player in the world…there might be some conversation…but she’s number one.”
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BASKETBALL – NBCSN
Basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla on Australia’s Andrew Bogut: “He’s key to this team because he gives you the rim presence defensively, and he’s an outstanding passer as well.”
Fraschilla on Australia’s 86-64 win over France: “What we’ve seen from Australia today has been precision at its best.”
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BEACH VOLLEYBALL – NBC
Beach volleyball analyst Kevin Wong on Team USA as they go up 7-4 over Qatar: “This team has really been peaking at the right time over the last couple of months because of the defensive play from Casey Patterson. Jake Gibb is so solid…he’s such a good, steady player. They need that extra ‘oomph.’”
Beach volleyball play-by-play commentator Chris Marlowe: “It’s interesting when you watch Casey Patterson, it’s like he wants to celebrate [after a point], he wants to dance and do his thing. He keeps it going for a moment but then a little voice says ‘don’t do it.’”
Wong: “He has to stop listening to the voice. The genius [of Casey Patterson] is the craziness.”
Wong: “We’ve seen a number of matches here today – I don’t think anyone played as flawless as this USA team. Their offensive was on point and their serve was tough.”
Click here for a recap of Team USA’s victory over Qatar.
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TABLE TENNIS – NBCSN
Table tennis play-by-play commentators Sean O’Neill on the level of training Olympic competitors need:“Probably one if not two years out they will be doing two sessions a day and then on top of that probably three or four physical off-the-table sessions — running, cycling, not heavy weight, but a lot of weight repetitions.”
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DRESSAGE – USA NETWORK
Equestrian play-by-play commentator Randy Moss: “47-year-old William Fox-Pitt of Great Britain… what a remarkable story he has. He suffered brain injuries in a fall last October. He was placed in a medically induced coma for two weeks, lost 25 pounds and couldn’t pick up his children afterward he was so weak…He began riding again shortly before Christmas all because he wanted to get his horse Chilly Morning to Rio…Chilly deserves it.”
Click here for a profile on William Fox-Pitt.
Equestrian analyst Melanie Smith-Taylor on the talent of German rider, and London gold medalist, Michael Jung: “Michael [Jung] just oozes confidence with this horse [Sam]. At the ripe, young age of 34, he’s such a brilliant rider. He does the dressage at such a high level.”
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