Santa Barbara Independent Olympics Guide, 8/3/2016

RIO

SummeR OlympIcS guIde Barbara Nwaba is just one athlete with Santa Barbara connections going for the gold in Brazil. Look inside for everyone else.

by John Zant

pluS: TV lISTIngS, aThleTe pROFIleS & RIO Fun FacTS

RIO A LOOK AT

SANTA BARBARA OLYMPIANS, PAST AND PRESENT

T

he Zika virus seems to have scared some Olympic medalist from Santa Barbara. The L.A. Games top professional golfers away from the Rio marked the beginning of a strong Santa Barbara presence Olympics, but they aren’t sacrificing much, in Olympic sports, especially water polo and volleyball. because they’ve got four majors every year.

For most athletes in Olympic sports, the WATER POLO Games are their one major every four years. It takes more HISTORY: Native son Terry Schroeder (San Marcos than the risk of a mosquito bite — diminished by the High, Pepperdine), the model for the male Olympic statue winter season in Brazil — to make them give up what for outside the Coliseum, was the leader of the U.S. team that many is the chance of a lifetime. won silver medals in 1984 and ’88. Craig Wilson (UCSB) Every Olympics poses hazards to was their goalie. Chris Segesman (Dos Pueblos) was on

by John the visitors from around the world. the 2004 Olympic team, captained by UCSB coach Wolf Some cities deal with them better Wigo. Schroeder coached the U.S. men to their third silthan others. Los Angeles took mea- ver in 2008. Thalia Munro (S.B. High) started for the U.S. sures to reduce traffic and effectively erased the fears that women’s team that took the bronze medal in 2004. Craig, the city would be choked with congestion and smog dur- another Santa Barbara grad, nabbed a silver in 2008 and ing the 1984 Games. gold in 2012.

Santa Barbara has a band of 2016 Olympians who are ready to go all out in Rio. The U.S. women’s water NOW: Craig is one of only four returning players from polo team, favored to win its second consecutive gold the triumph at London, as the U.S. team has been remedal, includes three players — almost 25 percent of freshed by a youth movement. The new Olympians inits roster — from our town: Kami Craig, Sami Hill, and clude Hill and Neushul, who were teammates during Dos Kiley Neushul. Hometown volleyball icon Karch Kiraly, who won three gold medals as a player, is head coach of a U.S. women’s team that is seeking its first Olympic gold. The Santa Barbara Track Club’s Barbara Nwaba, the U.S. heptathlon champion, has an outside chance at a medal.

All are prepared to concentrate on the task at hand. “There always seems to be some type of worry going into the Olympics,” said Craig, a three-time Olympian with the water polo team. “The approach is always the same for us. We worry about what we can control. It’s all about preparing our bodies and our minds and focusing on our opponents and the games.”

They should have more favorable conditions than did the late Ernest “Nick” Carter, the first Olympic athlete from Santa Barbara County, at the 1928 Games in Amsterdam. The U.S. team’s “hotel” was the SS Roosevelt,, the ocean liner that took them across the Atlantic. When team officials caught some athletes in an Amsterdam bar — a scandal in those days of Prohibition — they moved the ship from the dock to the middle of the harbor. “We had to go back and forth by launch,” recalled Carter, a Lompoc native who became track coach at UCSB. “The boat rocked the whole time we were there.

So we never got rid of our ‘sea legs.’ ” Carter came up short in the semifinals of the 1,500-meter run. “I always felt that it was caused by staying on board that ship and having it rock all the time.”

Four decades would pass before Bill Toomey, a teacher at La Colina Junior High, won the pIcTuRed FROm leFT: SamI hIll, KIley neuShul, and KamI cRaIg, decathlon at Mexico City to become the first JONATHAN MOORE/USA WATER POLO

ZANT

2

RIO 2016 SummeR OlympIcS guIde

August 3, 2016

The IndependenT

Pueblos High’s domination of prep girls’ water polo. All three Santa Barbara standouts played for different colleges: Craig at USC, Hill at UCLA, and Neushul at Stanford.

Craig, 29, is a powerful presence at the center position.

Hill, 24, is an athletically gifted goalkeeper who’s been backing up starter Ashleigh Johnson, a sensation from Miami. Neushul, 23, is one of the young Americans responsible for revolutionizing the game.

“There’s a lot of energy on this team,” Craig said. “It’s changed the entire style of how we’ve played. This game is faster, quicker, a bit more athletic. We’re playing water polo like no one in the world is playing. It’s incredible.

Once this team gets rolling, in that flow, it’s so much fun.”

In 2012, U.S. coach Adam Krikorian said the team’s game plan was “based almost solely on Kami Craig at the center position. We still have an offense that’s geared toward that, but we can do much more with this group and beat you in so many different ways.”

Krikorian, a Golden State Warriors fan, sees their style on the basketball court replicated by the American women in the pool.

Neushul is their Steph Curry, and highscoring Maggie Steffens their Klay Thompson. Neushul, like Curry, had a parent — both parents, actually — who played her sport. Her mother, Cathy Neushul, is a longtime water polo coach.

“I don’t know if anyone plays the game as beautifully as Kiley Neushul does,” Krikorian said. “It’s so much fun for fans to watch; it’s fun for me to watch … the movement in the water, the creativity, the explosiveness, the athleticism … This is a team that shares the ball really well, moves without the ball, is the most mobile team I’ve ever seen in the sport of water polo.”

Craig said, “I remember Kiley growing up, this teeny little towhead girl running around the pool deck, kicking butt in swimming and water polo. I enjoy playing with Kiley, our connection passes, setting each other up.

The other day we played a game, and I stuck my hand out and said, ‘It’s always such fun playing with you, Kiley.

Kiley.’ ” The brief history of Olympic women’s water polo (first played in 2000) indicates there are no guarantees that the U.S. women will win the wOmen’S waTeR pOlO gold medal on August 19.

SummeR OlympIcS guIde None of the first three champions (Australia, Italy, and the Netherlands) was able to make the final in the following Games. “Our target was big in 2012,” Craig said, “and now it’s bigger.”

Neushul said, “We all watched the 2012 team. We’ve done a good job of creating our own experience, our own journey, driven by our standards, fixed on playing to our potential.”

The goalkeeping of Johnson and Hill is another plus factor for the U.S. team. “I truly believe we have the best two goalies in the world,” Krikorian said. “If Ashleigh’s not ready, Sami knows this team has a tremendous amount of confidence in her.”

Both of Hill’s parents were college athletes, her mother in basketball and father in football. She was playing basketball with Kiley Neushul at the Page Youth Center when Kiley’s mother saw her potential as a shot-blocker in water polo. Johnson, who played collegiate water polo at Princeton, is the only non-Californian on the U.S. team. She lacked experience against top competition but caught on quickly when she was promoted to the national team. The Santa Barbara trio befriended her.

“Ashleigh has become one of our sisters,” Hill said. “She fits right in.”

Krikorian described this team’s quest as transcending a brief moment of Olympic glory: “The dream we chase is more than being at the top of the podium. It’s the way we play, the way we treat each other, and the way we show toughness.”

TRACK AND FIELD

NOW: Barbara Nwaba continues the multi-events tradition. The Los Angeles native has steadily improved in the heptathlon since 2012, when she finished fifth in the U.S. Olympic Trials after graduating from UCSB. She took second in the NCAA Championships to Oregon’s Brianne Theisen, the future wife of Ashton Eaton and one of the favorites in Rio. Nwaba broke through with her first 6,000-point score in 2014, and she scored her personal record (PR) of 6,500 at last year’s U.S. Championships, making her the sixth highest-scoring American of all time. In the IAAF World Championships at Beijing, she had a crushing mishap in the 100-meter hurdles that immediately knocked her out of medal contention. She bounced back in the remaining six events and set a PR of 48'½" in the shot put.

Going into the U.S. Olympic Trials last month, Nwaba said, “I wanted to make sure I didn’t fall over the hurdles like I did in the Worlds.” Once she got through that event, she rolled up her second highest score, 6,494, and set new PRs in the high jump (6'2¾") and javelin throw (161'4").

The field in Rio will be loaded, with Theisen-Eaton, defending champion Jessica Ennis-Hill of Great Britain, and others in the 6,700- to 6,800-point range. Nwaba, 27, faced several of them in May at the multi-event meet in Gotzis, Austria, where she finished fifth. “I got to know the girls there,” she said. “I’m going to focus on myself and my abilities and not get distracted by how the others are doing.”

A fast-rising star on the U.S. track-and-field team is 18-year-old high jumper Vashti Cunningham. Her father and coach is former All-Pro quarterback Randall Cunningham, who competed in track as well as football at Santa Barbara High. The world junior record holder with a clearance of 6'6¼" at an indoor meet, Vashti has been called by U.S. champion Chaunté Lowe “the young Usain Bolt of the high jump.” Cunningham responded, “That’s crazy, mind-blowing … but I do want to make my mark.”

COVER PHOTO BY PAUL WELLMAN

“I can’t imagine a more perfect place to make history,” Kiraly said about the Americans’ opportunity in Rio. They expect to encounter much hostility from the South American crowds, but Kiraly, who willed the U.S. men to overcome the former Soviet juggernaut as a player, will have them prepared for the challenge.

Meanwhile, there will be a party scene at Copacabana Beach during the Olympic beach volleyball competition, and pairs from Brazil and the U.S. will again be prominent. Kerri Walsh Jennings will vie for her fourth gold medal, this time with partner April Ross. They made their debut as a team at the 2013 Santa Barbara AVP tournament, winning it, of course.

The top U.S. men’s beach pair is Dalhausser and Nick Lucena. They migrated from Florida a dozen years ago and landed at East Beach. They played as a team until 2006, when Dalhausser began his dominant run with Rogers. Lucena knocked around with many different partners until he and Dalhausser reunited and found bliss the past two years.

SWIMMING/ROWING/ KAYAK HISTORY: Richard Schroeder (UCSB) swam the breaststroke legs for gold-medal-winning medley relay teams in 1984 and ’88. Amy Fuller (UCSB) pulled an oar in the U.S. women’s four who rowed to a silver medal in 1992. Freestyle swimmer Jason Lezak (UCSB) collected eight medals in four Olympics, most memorably in the men’s 4x100 relay that he anchored to the gold medal at Beijing. Also in 2008, Mark Warkentin (San Marcos, USC) placed eighth in the inaugural 10,000-meter open-water swim.

VOLLEYBALL

BaRBaRa nwaBa, wOmen’S hepTaThlOn

HISTORY: Karch Kiraly (S.B. High, UCLA) took the U.S. indoor team where it had never been before, winning gold in 1984 and ’88. Doug Partie (Dos Pueblos, UCLA) played on the ’88 team and also in ’92, when the U.S. took the bronze medal.

When beach volleyball made its Olympic debut in 1996, Kiraly picked up his third gold. The beat continued at the beach in 2000, when Eric Fonoimoana (UCSB), along with Dain Blanton, surprised the favored Brazilians in Sydney; in 2004, when Dax Holdren (San Marcos) made it to the quarterfinals (and another San Marcos grad, Brook Billings, played on the fourthplace indoor men’s team); and in 2008, when Todd Rogers (San Marcos, UCSB) and Phil Dalhausser stormed to the gold medal. The pair was upset in the round of 16 in 2012.

NOW: Eight Olympic Games have come and gone since 1984, and Kiraly is still pushing for a gold medal. The U.S. women’s team had an ample collection of silvers and bronzes but had never won a major international tournament until 2014, Kiraly’s second season as head coach, when it captured the FIVB World Championship in Italy.

The road to the 2016 Olympic title will go through the host team, Brazil, the two-time defending Olympic champion. The U.S. team settled for the silver medal in both 2008 and 2012. In the gold-medal match of the FIVB World Grand Prix in Bangkok, Thailand, earlier this month, Brazil outlasted the U.S. in five games.

The IndependenT

NOW: Maggie Hogan was a swimmer at UCSB, where she impressed Coach Gregg Wilson with her work ethic. Her best race was the 1,650-yard freestyle.

Several years out of college, she took up paddling and has won 14 national kayak titles. Now, at the age of 37, she has made her first Olympic team. She will represent maggIe hOgan, the U.S. in the women’s wOmen’S canOe SpRInT K1/500-meter race at Rio. COURTESY

PAUL WELLMAN

HISTORY: Westmont College had one of the world’s fastest humans with a name to rival the Detroit Tigers’ Jarrod Saltalamacchia: Jean-Louis Ravelomanantsoa. The sprinter from Madagascar was a finalist in the Mexico City 100 meters but went out in the Munich semifinals with an injury. After Bill Toomey won the decathlon in 1968, many multi-event athletes trained and competed in Santa Barbara. Bruce Jenner spectacularly failed to clear a height in the pole vault at UCSB during the 1975 U.S. decathlon championship, a year before he set the world record at Montreal. Jane Frederick moved here before the 1976 Games and was the seventh-place finisher in the women’s pentathlon, which became the heptathlon in 1984.

She missed the Olympics that year but set an American record of 6,803 points that has been surpassed only by Jackie Joyner-Kersee. Defending Olympic decathlon champion Ashton Eaton and Canadian heptathlete Brianne TheisenEaton have put in five months of training at Westmont College since 2011.

BOXING HISTORY: “Ferocious Fernando” Vargas, a popular 18-year-old from Oxnard, fought as a welterweight in the 1996 Atlanta Games and was upset by a Romanian in the second round. After he turned pro, he won a world championship, lost it to Oscar de la Hoya, and had his reputation sullied by an assault conviction in Santa Barbara.

NOW: Carlos Balderas, 19, a Mexican-American from Santa Maria, was the first boxer to qualify for the 2016 U.S. Olympic team. His grandfather worked in the strawberry fields for 40 years while the family settled in the area. Balderas will fight in the lightweight (132 pounds) division. Cuba’s Lázaro Álvarez, 25, a three-time world amateur champion, is favored.

Coverage of the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics begins Wednesday, Aug. 3, and concludes Sunday, Aug. 21.

August 3, 2016

RIO 2016 SummeR OlympIcS guIde

3

when to August 2016 Sport

Wed Thu

3

4

Fri

5

Sat

6

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu

7

Opening Ceremony Track and Field

Badminton Basketball

Beach Volleyball

Boxing

Canoe Slalom

Canoe Sprint

Cycling - BMX

Cycling - Mountain Bike

Cycling - Road

Cycling - Track

Diving

Equestrian - Dressage

Equestrian - Eventing

Equestrian - Jumping

Fencing

Football (Soccer)

Golf

Gymnastics- Artistic

Gymnastics - Rhythmic

Gymnastics - Trampoline

Handball Hockey Judo

Marathon Swimming

Modern Pentathlon

Rowing

Rugby Sevens

Sailing Shooting Swimming

Synchronised Swimming

Table Tennis

Taekwondo Tennis Triathlon Volleyball

Water Polo

Weightlifting

4

Wrestling - Freestyle

Wrestling - Greco-Roman

Closing Ceremony

RIO 2016 Summer Olympics guide

Sat

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Archery

Fri

August 3, 2016

The independent

TV LISTINGS rio Wednesday, Aug. 3 8:30 am

NBCSN Soccer (W) Sweden vs. Russia (2h30)

11:00 am

NBCSN Soccer (W) Canada vs. Australia (2h)

12:00 pm USA

2:00 pm USA

3:00 pm

Soccer (W) Brazil vs. China (2h) Soccer (W) Zimbabwe vs. Germany (2h)

USA

Rugby (W) Canada vs. Great Britain, U.S. vs.

Australia, Volleyball (M) France vs. Italy (2h)

9:30 am

BRAVO Tennis (3h)

NBCSN Soccer (W) France vs. Colombia (2h)

Thursday, Aug. 4

10:00 am

MSNBC Beach Volleyball Preliminary Round, Equestrian,

Fencing (M) Individual Foil Semifinal and Gold Medal Final (2h30)

12:00 pm

NBCSN Soccer (M) Germany vs. Korea (2h) NBC Cycling (W) Road Race, Swimming (M & W) BRAVO Tennis (2h15) CNBC Rugby (W) Quarterfinal, Shooting (W) Trap Gold

Soccer (M) Honduras vs. Algeria (2h)

2:00 pm

NBCSN Soccer (M) Portugal vs. Argentina (2h)

BRAVO Tennis (4h15)

3:00 pm

4:00 pm

NBC

6:00 pm

4:00 pm

NBCSN Soccer (M) Fiji vs. Korea (2h)

Canoeing Whitewater Qualifying, Beach Volleyball Preliminary Round (1h15)

NBCSN Archery (W) Team Gold Final, Weightlifting Gold

NBCSN Soccer (M) Nigeria vs. Japan (2h)

Friday, Aug. 5

Medal Final, Table Tennis Singles Second and Third Round

(2h)

4:15 pm NBC

7:30 pm NBC

Opening Ceremony Coverage of the official Opening Ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. (4h35)

6:00 pm

NBCSN Soccer (M) Brazil vs. Iraq (2h)

7:00 pm

Saturday, Aug. 6 6:00 am

NBCSN Archery (M) Team Round of 16, Shooting (W) 10m

(5h05)

6:30 am

BRAVO Tennis (3h)

8:00 am NBC

Rowing Qualifying Heats, Cycling (M) Road Race, Water Polo (M) United States vs. Croatia (2h30)

9:00 am

NBCSN Rugby (W) United States vs. Fiji, Australia vs.

Colombia (1h) MSNBC Beach Volleyball Preliminary Round, Handball (W) Norway vs. Brazil (2h15)

9:30 am

Monday, Aug. 8

NBCSN Basketball (M) Australia vs. France, Water Polo (M) Spain vs. Italy (3h)

10:30 am NBC

11:15 am

Cycling (M) Road Race, Swimming (M & W) (4h)

Team Gold Medal Final (2h45)

12:00 pm USA

Equestrian (1h)

vs. Australia, New Zealand vs. Spain, Australia vs. Fiji (3h)

2:30 pm NBC

Rowing Qualifying Heats, Beach Volleyball Preliminary Round (1h45) USA Beach Volleyball Preliminary (1h)

2:45 pm

BRAVO Tennis (4h15)

3:00 pm

NBCSN Basketball (W) United States vs. Spain (2h)

9:00 am

MSNBC Beach Volleyball Preliminary Round, Volleyball

3:30 pm

(W) China vs. Italy (1h15) Equestrian, Table Tennis Singles Third Round (2h30)

10:00 am

NBCSN Fencing (W) Individual Sabre Quarter-final,

Rugby (W) Semifinal, Table Tennis Singles Third Round (2h) NBC Rowing Qualifying Heats, Water Polo (M) United States vs. Spain, Swimming (M & W) , Canoe Whitewater Qualifying (4h)

MSNBC Basketball (M) Serbia vs. Australia (1h45)

Singles First and Second Round, Boxing Elimination Matches (3h)

8:00 pm NBC

Gymnastics (M) Team Competition, Swimming (M & W) Beach Volleyball (W) Preliminary Round (4h05)

Sunday, Aug. 7 6:00 am

NBCSN Beach Volleyball Preliminary Round, Archery (W) BRAVO Tennis (3h)

8:00 am

NBCSN Basketball (W) United States vs. Senegal (2h)

9:00 am

MSNBC Beach Volleyball Preliminary Round, Fencing (M) Individual Foil Quarter-finals, Handball (M) Croatia vs.

Qatar (2h30)

NBCSN Judo Gold Medal Final, Weightlifting Gold Medal

(W) 78kg Gold Medal Final, Beach Volleyball Preliminary Round (3h)

Final, Table Tennis (M) Quarter-final (1h30)

NBC Swimming (M & W) (2h10) BRAVO Tennis (2h) USA Badminton Preliminary, Handball (M) Denmark vs. Croatia (2h)

12:45 pm

MSNBC Equestrian, Sailing (1h15)

2:00 pm

CNBC Fencing (W) Team Epee Final, Beach Volleyball

6:30 pm

Elimination Matches (2h30)

8:00 pm NBC

Diving (W) Platform Synchronized Final, Gymnastics (W) Team Final, Swimming (M & W) (4h05)

Wednesday, Aug. 10 NBCSN Cycling (W) Road Race Time Trial (1h30)

NBCSN Cycling (M) Road Race Time Trial (3h) USA Rowing Gold Medal, Archery (3h)

6:30 am

(M & W) Preliminary, Cycling (M & W) Track Gold Medal Final (3h) BRAVO Tennis (2h)

2:30 pm

NBCSN Rugby (M) Bronze Medal and Gold Medal Final

(1h)

3:30 pm

9:00 am

NBCSN Soccer (M) Argentina vs. Honduras, Fencing (M)

Individual Sabre Qualifying (2h30) MSNBC Beach Volleyball Preliminary Round, Water Polo (M) Montenegro vs. Italy, Table Tennis (W) Singles Semifinal (3h) USA Rugby (M) New Zealand vs. Great Britain, Rugby (M) U.S. vs. Fiji (1h)

9:30 am

7:40 am

NBCSN Basketball (W) United States vs. Serbia (1h45)

9:00 am

1:15 pm

Volleyball (M & W) Preliminary, Sailing (M & W) (3h)

BRAVO Tennis (4h15)

Field Qualifying, (W) 10k Gold Medal Final (4h)

6:00 am

Beach Volleyball Preliminary Round, Water Polo (M) United States vs. France (2h) USA Basketball (M) Serbia vs. France (2h)

NBC

2:00 pm

CNBC Rugby (W) Bronze and Gold Medal Final, Beach

NBCSN Archery (M) Individual Round of 16, Track and Rowing Gold Medal, Fencing (M) Team Foil Quarter-final (1h40)

12:30 pm

Volleyball (W) United States vs. Netherlands

GOLF Golf (M) Round 2 (8h30)

5:00 am

USA

12:30 pm NBC

Friday, Aug. 12 3:30 am

BRAVO Tennis (3h)

10:00 am

MSNBC Shooting (M) Trap Gold Medal Final, Judo Gold BRAVO Tennis (2h15)

8:00 pm

Gymnastics (W) Individual All-Around Gold Medal Final, Swimming (M & W) (4h05)

NBC Swimming (M & W) (2h) MSNBC Soccer (M) Korea vs. Mexico (2h) USA Beach Volleyball Preliminary, Shooting (M)

Medal Final, Sailing (2h)

Gold Medal Final, Volleyball (M) United States vs. Brazil, Shooting (4h)

NBC

12:00 pm

Archery Individual Eliminations (3h)

5:00 pm

BRAVO Tennis (3h)

NBCSN Fencing (W) Individual Sabre Gold Medal Final,

USA

8:00 am

NBCSN Soccer (W) Quarter-final (2h) MSNBC Beach Volleyball Round of 16, Handball (W)

Sweden vs. Netherlands, Shooting (W) Skeet Final (3h)

9:15 am USA

Fencing (M) Team Foil Semifinal, Volleyball (W) China vs. Serbia (1h45)

Double Trap Final, Rugby (M) Quarter-final (2h)

10:00 am

BRAVO Tennis (2h15)

NBC

NBCSN Field Hockey (W) United States vs. Japan, Table Tennis (W) Singles Semifinal (1h45)

Track and Field (W) 10k Gold Medal Final, Beach Volleyball Round of 16 (2h) BRAVO Tennis (2h)

11:00 am

2:00 pm

NBC Volleyball (W) United States vs. Serbia (1h45) CNBC Rugby (M) Quarterfinals, Archery (M & W),

Fencing (W) Individual Foil Gold Medal Final, Sailing (M & W) (3h)

NBCSN Basketball (W) United States vs. Canada (2h15)

12:00 pm

NBC Swimming (M & W) Qualifying Heats (2h20) MSNBC Soccer (W) Quarter-final (2h) BRAVO Tennis (2h)

2:45 pm

NBC

3:00 pm

5:00 pm

3:45 pm

2:00 pm

5:00 pm

2:20 pm

Beach Volleyball Preliminary Round, Canoe Whitewater Qualifying (1h15)

NBCSN Water Polo (M) Croatia vs. Montenegro, Weightlifting Gold Medal Final (1h30)

6:30 pm

NBCSN Volleyball (W) Brazil vs. Argentina, Boxing Elimination Matches (2h30)

8:00 pm NBC

Diving (M) Platform Synchronized Gold Medal Final, Gymnastics (M) Team Finals, Swimming (M & W), Beach Volleyball (W) Preliminary Round (4h05)

Tuesday, Aug. 9 6:00 am

Preliminary Round (4h) Equestrian (2h30)

USA

6:30 am

BRAVO Tennis (3h)

1:15 pm

BRAVO Tennis (4h15)

NBCSN Archery (M) Individual Gold Medal Final, Beach

NBCSN Basketball (M) United States vs. Australia (2h) NBC

Cycling (W) Road Race Time Trial, Canoe (M) Single Gold Medal Final (1h15)

NBCSN Boxing Elimination, Fencing (M) Individual Sabre Final (1h)

6:00 pm

NBCSN Soccer (M) Denmark vs. Brazil (2h)

8:00 pm

NBCSN Table Tennis (W) Singles Final (1h) NBC Beach Volleyball (W), Swimming (M & W),

Gymnastics (M) Individual All-Around Gold Medal Final (4h05)

NBCSN Beach Volleyball Preliminary Round, Rugby (M)

Thursday, Aug. 11

Volleyball Round of 16 (1h45)

CNBC Cycling (M & W) Track Finals (1h) BRAVO Tennis (2h) NBC

Volleyball (W) United States vs. Italy, Track and Field Qualifying Rounds (2h40)

3:00 pm

NBCSN Basketball (M) United States vs. Serbia (2h) CNBC Soccer (W) Quarter-final (2h)

5:00 pm

NBCSN Fencing (M) Team Foil Gold Medal Final (1h)

6:00 pm

NBCSN Soccer (W) Quarter-final (2h)

8:00 pm

NBCSN Weightlifting Gold Medal Final, Boxing (M) Quarter-final and Semifinal (1h)

3:30 am

GOLF Golf (M) Round 1 (8h30)

The independent

Water Polo (M) U.S. vs. Montenegro (1h35)

BRAVO Tennis (2h)

NBCSN Basketball (M) United States vs. Venezuela (2h)

3:45 pm

Team Round of 16 (2h)

6:30 am

5:00 pm

12:00 pm

3:00 pm

NBCSN Soccer (W) Brazil vs. Sweden, Table Tennis

Beach Volleyball Preliminary Round, Canoe (M)

11:30 am

Volleyball (W) United States vs. Puerto Rico (1h45)

6:00 pm

NBC

(1h15)

Beach Volleyball Preliminary, Handball (W) Spain vs. Norway (2h30)

NBC

Final (1h)

3:45 pm

USA

2:45 pm

NBCSN Judo Final, Weightlifting (W) 48kg Gold Medal

NBCSN Archery (W) Individual Gold Medal Final, Judo

12:00 pm

BRAVO Tennis (4h15)

3:00 pm

BRAVO Tennis (3h)

Fencing (W) Individual Epee Final (1h30)

5:00 pm

2:45 pm

9:30 am

USA

4:15 pm

11:30 am

Argentina, Beach Volleyball (M & W) Preliminary (3h)

USA

(1h45)

NBCSN Basketball (M) United States vs. China (2h)

MSNBC Volleyball (M) Poland vs. Argentina (1h45)

NBC Volleyball (M) United States vs. Italy (1h45) CNBC Rugby (M) United States vs. Brazil, Fiji vs.

NBCSN Boxing Elimination, Table Tennis (M) Singles

11:30 am

CNBC Rugby (W) United States vs. Columbia, Germany

NBCSN Rugby (M) Semifinal (1h)

6:00 am

1:00 pm

2:00 pm

11:00 am

BRAVO Tennis (3h)

10:15 am

NBCSN Soccer (W) United States vs. France (2h) USA Field Hockey (W) U.S. vs. Argentina (1h30)

BRAVO Tennis (2h15)

10:30 am

4:30 am

12:30 pm

BRAVO Tennis (2h15)

Rowing Semifinal and Gold Medal Final, Water Polo (W) United States vs. China (2h) BRAVO Tennis (2h) USA Basketball (M) Brazil vs. Croatia (2h)

NBCSN Field Hockey (W) United States vs. India (1h30) NBC Beach Volleyball Preliminary Round, Canoe (1h30)

8:00 am

NBC

Fencing (W) Individual Sabre Round of 32 (2h) USA Equestrian (3h)

6:30 am

MSNBC Table Tennis Singles First Round, Archery (M)

(W) Spain vs. Hungary (2h)

NBCSN Field Hockey (W) United States vs. Australia,

BRAVO Tennis (3h)

10:00 am

MSNBC Beach Volleyball Preliminary Round, Water Polo

Individual Eliminations (3h) NBC Swimming (M & W), Rowing Semifinal (2h) MSNBC Table Tennis (M) Quarter-final, Handball (M) Germany vs. Poland, Sailing (2h)

2:00 pm

6:00 am

Preliminary (2h)

NBCSN Soccer (W) Germany vs. Canada, Archery

NBCSN Volleyball (M) Brazil vs. Canada, Boxing

NBCSN Judo Final, Boxing Elimination Matches (1h)

BRAVO Tennis (2h) USA Water Polo (W) Italy vs. Australia, Badminton

10:00 am

8:00 pm

Air Rifle Gold Medal Final, Beach Volleyball Preliminary Round (3h)

8:00 am

12:00 pm

Beach Volleyball Preliminary, Rugby (M) Preliminary (2h30)

NBC

Diving (W) Springboard Synchronized Final, Gymnastics (W) Team Competition, Swimming (M & W)

Table Tennis (M) Semifinal (2h)

NBCSN Fencing (W) Team Epee Quarter-final, Jude (W)

USA

NBCSN Soccer (W) United States vs. Colombia (2h)

Volleyball (M) United States vs. Canada (1h45)

USA

6:45 am

9:00 am

12:30 pm

USA

(1h45)

6:00 am

11:30 am

NBCSN Soccer (M) Argentina vs. Algeria (2h)

2:45 pm

Soccer (M) Mexico vs. Germany (2h)

(W) United States vs. Spain (2h) USA Equestrian, Table Tennis (W) Quarterfinal (1h30)

2:00 pm

NBCSN Archery (W), Beach Volleyball Preliminary Round

78kg Elimination Round, Beach Volleyball Preliminary Round (3h45)

NBCSN Basketball (M) Spain vs. Brazil (2h) NBC Beach Volleyball Preliminary Round, Water Polo

Medal Final (3h)

NBCSN Soccer (M) Brazil vs. Russia (2h)

5:00 am

BRAVO Tennis (3h)

Qualifying Heats (3h)

1:00 pm

1:00 pm

Individual Eliminations, Water Polo (W) Russia vs.

Australia (3h)

11:30 am

11:00 am USA

MSNBC Beach Volleyball Preliminary Round, Archery

9:30 am

Qualifying Heats, Cycling (W) Road Race (2h)

12:30 pm

12:00 pm

9:00 am

Volleyball (M) Russia vs. Argentina (1h30)

NBCSN Basketball (M) Brazil vs. Lithuania (2h) NBC Beach Volleyball Preliminary Round, Rowing

9:30 am

NBCSN Soccer (M) Iraq vs. Denmark (2h30)

USA

10:00 am

NBCSN Soccer (W) United States vs. New Zealand (3h)

6:00 pm

8:30 am

continued on page 6 >>> August 3, 2016

RIO 2016 Summer Olympics guide

5

TV LISTINGS rio Monday, Aug. 15

NBC

Track and Field (W) Shot Put Gold Medal Final, Swimming (M & W), Diving (W) Springboard Qualifying, Beach Volleyball (W) Round of 16 (4h05)

5:00 am

NBCSN Canoe/ Kayak Sprint Qualifying, Track and

Saturday, Aug. 13 3:30 am

GOLF Golf (M) Round 3 (8h30)

5:00 am

NBCSN Fencing (W) Team Sabre Round of 16, Track and

Field (M) 100m Preliminary, (W) Triple Jump Qualifying, 3000m, Round 1, (M) Discus Gold Medal Final, (W) 400m Round 1, Heptathlon, (M) 100m Round 1 (4h)

6:15 am

MSNBC Fencing (W) Team Sabre Quarter-final, Water

Polo (W) China vs. Spain, Russia vs. Italy, Table Tennis (W) Team Quarter-final (4h)

7:00 am USA

Beach Volleyball Round of 16, Handball (M) Slovenia vs. Germany (3h)

8:00 am

BRAVO Tennis (2h)

9:00 am

6:00 am

9:00 am

MSNBC Handball (M) Poland vs. Slovenia (1h15)

9:30 am USA

NBCSN Wrestling Greco-Roman Qualifying, Cycling Track

Race, Beach Volleyball (M) Quarter-final (3h) NBC Track and Field (M & W), Volleyball (M) United States vs. Mexico (3h)

12:00 pm

Skeet Gold Medal Final (1h45)

12:00 pm

NBCSN Soccer (M) Quarter-final, Cycling Gold Medal Final (3h)

MSNBC Beach Volleyball Round of 16 (1h) BRAVO Tennis (2h)

1:00 pm

MSNBC Fencing (W) Team Sabre Bronze and Gold Medal, Sailing (2h15)

MSNBC Water Polo (W) Quarter-final, Badminton Quarter-final, Sailing Gold Medal Final (2h)

NBC

Beach Volleyball Round of 16, Rowing Gold Medal Final, Gymnastics (M) Trampoline Gold Medal Final (2h) CNBC Field Hockey (W) United States vs. Great Britain (1h30)

NBCSN Volleyball (M) Russia vs. Iran, Cycling Track Race Gold Medal Final (2h) Water Polo (W) Quarter-final (1h30)

NBC

2:00 pm

6:00 pm

Volleyball (M) United States vs. France (2h)

NBCSN Soccer (M) Quarter-final, Boxing, Badminton Preliminary Round (3h)

Track and Field (M & W), Swimming (M & W) Gold Medal, Diving (W) Springboard Semifinals, Beach Volleyball Round of 16 (4h05)

Sunday, Aug. 14 3:00 am USA

Volleyball (W) Serbia vs. Netherlands, Badminton Preliminary Round (1h15)

7:15 am USA (2h45)

Wrestling Greco-Roman Qualifying, Shooting

NBCSN Volleyball (M) Brazil vs. France, Boxing (2h30) NBC

Diving (M) Springboard Qualifying, Track and Field (M & W), Gymnastics Individual Event Gold Medal Finals, Beach Volleyball (M) Quarter-final (4h05)

Tuesday, Aug. 16

NBCSN Basketball (M) United States vs. France (2h) MSNBC Water Polo (M) Australia vs. Greece, Handball

(W) Montenegro vs. Brazil (2h45) BRAVO Tennis (2h)

11:15 am NBC

Basketball (W) United States vs. China (1h45)

12:00 pm

NBCSN Beach Volleyball (W) Quarter-final (2h) BRAVO Tennis (2h)

12:45 pm

MSNBC Table Tennis (M) Team Quarter-final, Sailing (1h15)

1:00 pm

NBC Equestrian, Golf (M) Final Round (1h30) CNBC Handball (W) Norway vs. Romania, Field Hockey (M) Quarterfinal, Badminton (M, W) Preliminary (3h)

2:00 pm

NBCSN Wrestling Greco-Roman Gold Medal Final, Cycling

Gold Medal Final, Weightlifting (W) +75kg Gold Medal Final

(2h45)

BRAVO Tennis (2h)

2:30 pm NBC

Water Polo (M) United States vs. Italy, Synchronized Swimming Duet Qualifying (1h30)

4:00 pm NBC

4:45 pm

6

Volleyball (W) Quarter-final (2h)

USA

Field Hockey (M) Semifinal, Badminton Doubles Semifinal (2h)

RIO 2016 Summer Olympics guide

NBC

2:00 pm

Volleyball (M) Quarterfinal, Field Hockey (W) Semifinal (3h)

NBC

Gala (2h)

4:30 pm

NBCSN Gymnastics Gala, Wrestling (W) Freestyle Gold

Water Polo (M) Quarter-final, Equestrian Team Jump Qualifying (1h30)

12:00 pm

NBCSN Soccer (W) Semifinal, Badminton Doubles

Semifinal (2h30) USA Beach Volleyball (M) Semifinal, Badminton Doubles Semifinal (2h)

1:00 pm NBC

2:00 pm

Volleyball (W) Quarter-final (1h45)

CNBC Cycling (M & W) Track, Volleyball (W) Quarterfinals (2h)

8:00 pm

NBCSN Table Tennis (M) Team Gold Medal Final,

Taekwondo Gold Medal Final (1h) Track and Field (M & W) Gold Medal Final, Diving (W) Platform Qualifying, Beach Volleyball (W) Final (4h05)

NBC

Thursday, Aug. 18 GOLF Golf (W) Round 2 (8h30) NBCSN Canoe/ Kayak Sprint Gold Medal Final, Track and Field (M) 400m Hurdles Gold Medal Final (3h15)

7:00 am USA

Triathlon (M), Badminton (W) Doubles Gold Medal Final (3h)

NBCSN Water Polo (M) Semifinal, Wrestling (W) Freestyle NBC

Track and Field (M) 400m Hurdles Gold Medal Final, Canoe Sprint Gold Medal Final (2h)

11:00 am

NBCSN Basketball (W) Semifinal (2h) MSNBC Sailing Gold Medal Finals, Handball (W) Semifinal (2h)

NBC

1:00 pm

2:00 pm NBC

Diving (W) Platform Semifinal, Cycling (M) BMX Quarter-final (1h30) CNBC Taekwondo (M, W), Modern Pentathlon (M, W) (1h)

3:00 pm

NBCSN Basketball (W) Semifinal (2h) CNBC Field Hockey (M) Gold Medal Final (2h)

NBC

5:00 pm

4:00 pm

CNBC Field Hockey (M) semifinal (1h)

6:45 pm

NBCSN Wrestling Greco-Roman Gold Medal Final,

8:00 pm

Boxing, Weightlifting (1h45)

6:15 pm

NBCSN Volleyball (W) Quarter-final, Table Tennis (W) Team

NBC

Water Polo (M) Semifinal, Synchronized Swimming Team Qualifying (1h30)

NBCSN Boxing, Beach Volleyball (M) Bronze Medal Game

(1h45)

NBCSN Volleyball (W) Semifinal, Taekwondo (2h15) NBC

Track and Field (M & W) Gold Medal Final, Volleyball (W) Semifinal, Diving (W) Platform Gold Medal, Beach Volleyball (M) Gold Medal Final (4h05)

Gold Medal Final (2h45)

8:00 pm NBC

Track and Field (M & W) Gold Medal Final, Gymnastics Individual Event Gold Medal Final, Beach Volleyball (W) Semifinal (4h05)

Wednesday, Aug. 17 GOLF Golf (W) Round 1 (8h30) NBCSN Canoe/ Kayak Sprint Qualifying, Track and Field (M) 3000m Steeplechase Gold Medal Final (4h)

6:00 am USA

Badminton (M) Singles Quarter-final (1h)

August 3, 2016

The independent

Volleyball (W) Semifinal (2h)

NBCSN Wrestling (W) Freestyle Gold Medal Final (2h)

2:45 pm

4:30 pm

NBC

Cycling BMX Gold Medal Final, Water Polo (W) Gold Medal Final (1h45) CNBC Wrestling (M) Freestyle Gold Medal Finals (1h)

3:00 pm

CNBC Basketball (M) Semifinal (2h)

3:45 pm NBC

Equestrian, Gymnastics Rhythmic Individual Qualifying (1h15)

NBCSN Handball (M) Semifinal (1h30)

6:00 pm

NBCSN Volleyball (M) Semifinal, Modern Pentathlon (W), Boxing (W) Semifinal, Taekwondo Gold Medal Final (3h)

8:00 pm NBC

Track and Field (M & W) Gold Medal Final, Diving (M) Platform Qualifying (2h30)

Saturday, Aug. 20 3:00 am

GOLF Golf (W) Final Round (9h) USA

Rhythmic Gymnastics Group Qualification (1h30)

NBC

Triathlon (W) Gold Medal Final (2h15)

USA

Basketball (W) Bronze Medal (1h45)

7:30 am 9:00 am

NBCSN Soccer (M) Bronze Medal Game (2h) MSNBC Volleyball (W) Bronze Medal, Badminton (M) Bronze Medal (2h30)

9:15 am NBC

Canoe (M & W) Gold Medal Finals, Diving (M) 10m Platform Semifinal, Golf (W) Final Round (2h15) USA Water Polo (M) Bronze Medal, Handball (W) Bronze Medal (2h)

11:00 am

NBCSN Wrestling (M) Freestyle, Cycling (W) Cross Country Mountain Bike Gold Medal Final (2h30)

11:15 am USA

Rhythmic Gymnastics Individual All-Around Gold Medal Final, Badminton (M) Singles Gold Medal (2h45)

11:30 am

NBC Basketball (W) Gold Medal (2h15) MSNBC Handball (W) Gold Medal Final (2h30)

1:30 pm

NBCSN Soccer (M) Gold Medal Final (3h)

1:45 pm NBC

5:00 pm

12:00 pm

3:30 pm

Diving (M) Springboard Semifinal, Beach Volleyball (M) Semifinal (2h15)

NBCSN Soccer (W) Gold Medal Final (3h)

2:00 pm

7:00 am

Basketball (M) Quarter-final (2h)

2:30 pm

NBCSN Basketball (W) Quarter-final (2h)

MSNBC Field Hockey (W) Gold Medal Final (1h)

NBCSN Beach Volleyball (W) Bronze Medal Game,

Qualifying, Field Hockey (M) Bronze Medal (2h45)

MSNBC Water Polo (M) Quarter-final, Sailing Final (3h)

Volleyball (M) Semifinal (1h45)

1:30 pm

6:00 am

10:00 am

11:30 am

NBC

1:00 pm

Medal Final, Boxing (1h30)

6:00 pm

10:00 am

11:00 am

NBCSN Basketball (M) Semifinal (2h15)

12:15 pm

Canoe, Water Polo (W) Semifinal, Gymnastics

8:15 am

11:15 am

NBCSN Basketball (M) Quarter-final (2h)

Quarter-final (2h)

Track and Field (M) Trip Jump Gold Medal Final (W) Discus Gold Medal Final (1h30) USA Synchronized Swimming Duet Gold Medal Final, Table Tennis (W) Team Bronze Medal (2h)

MSNBC Modern Pentathlon (W), Handball (M) Semifinal

(2h)

4:30 pm

Volleyball (M) Quarter-final (2h)

NBCSN Soccer (W) Semifinal, Cycling Track (3h) MSNBC Wrestling Greco-Roman Qualifying, Handball (W) NBC

Equestrian, Canoe Sprint Semifinal, Synchronized Swimming Team Gold Medal Final (2h15)

CNBC Badminton (M) Mixed Doubles Gold Medal Final,

9:00 am

5:00 am

(5h05)

1:00 pm

5:00 am

NBCSN Volleyball (W) Brazil vs. Russia, Badminton (2h30) Diving (W) Springboard Gold Medal Final, Track and Field (M & W) Gold Medal Final, Gymnastics Individual Event Gold Medal Final, Beach Volleyball (W) Quarter-final

Final (1h30)

USA

8:00 am

NBC

MSNBC Handball (M) Quarter-final, Sailing Gold Medal

3:30 am

3:30 am

NBC

12:30 pm

Triple Jump Gold Medal, (W) Discus Gold Medal Final, Swimming (M) Open Water 10k Gold Medal Final (4h)

NBCSN Water Polo (M) Brazil vs. Hungary, Boxing (1h45)

7:00 pm

Badminton (M) Singles Quarter-final, Table Tennis (M) Team Gold Medal Final, Taekwondo Gold Medal Final (1h45)

NBCSN Canoe/ Kayak Sprint Final, Track and Field (M)

Volleyball (W) United States vs. China (2h)

6:30 pm

USA

5:00 am

6:00 am

MSNBC Soccer (W) Bronze Medal (2h)

NBCSN Soccer (M) Semifinal, Gymnastics (2h30)

12:15 pm

8:00 pm

NBC

10:00 am

12:00 pm

Weightlifting (M) 105kg Gold Medal Final (1h30)

6:30 pm

8:00 am

NBC Track and Field (W) Marathon (3h15) BRAVO Tennis (2h)

NBCSN Cycling BMX Qualifying (1h) MSNBC Gymnastics Gala (1h30)

NBCSN Basketball (M) Spain vs. Argentina (2h)

5:00 pm

GOLF Golf (M) Final Round (9h)

6:00 am

11:00 am

3:00 pm

8:00 pm NBC

Track and Field (M) 3000m Steeplechase Gold Medal Final, Equestrian Team Jumping Gold Medal Final, Gymnastics Gala (3h) MSNBC Wrestling (W) Qualifying, Handball (M) Quarterfinal (1h) USA Basketball (M) Quarter-final (2h15)

3:00 pm

Canoe, Synchronized Swimming Duet Qualifying, Beach Volleyball (M) Quarter-final (2h30)

CNBC Soccer (M) Quarterfinal (1h30) NBC

11:00 am

2:30 pm

NBC

NBCSN Basketball (M) Spain vs. Lithuania, Weightlifting

4:00 pm

NBCSN Soccer (M) Semifinal (2h)

2:30 pm

3:00 pm

3:30 pm

CNBC Water Polo (W) Quarter-final (3h)

BRAVO Tennis (2h) (M) 94kg Gold Medal Final, Shooting (M) Pistol Gold Medal Final (3h)

1:00 pm

NBCSN Wrestling Greco-Roman Gold Medal Final,

2:00 pm

10:00 am

NBC

MSNBC Basketball (M) Nigeria vs. Brazil (1h45)

10:15 am

Badminton, Table Tennis (W) Team Semifinal (2h)

10:00 am

Water Polo (W) Semifinal, Badminton (M) Singles Quarter-final (1h15)

10:00 am

NBCSN Field Hockey (W) Quarter-final (1h30)

Field Hockey (W) Bronze Medal, Badminton (M) Singles Semifinal (1h30)

USA

Equestrian (2h)

8:30 am

USA

9:00 am

USA

7:30 am

8:30 am

MSNBC Field Hockey (W) Semifinal (2h)

8:45 am

9:00 am

NBC

MSNBC Badminton Preliminary Round, Shooting (M)

8:00 am

Basketball (M) Quarter-final (1h45)

Field Hockey (W) Quarter-final (1h30)

10:15 am

Track and Field (M & W), Water Polo (W) United States vs. Hungary (4h) BRAVO Tennis (2h) USA Basketball (M) Argentina vs. Brazil (2h)

USA

USA

NBCSN Soccer (M) Quarter-final, Cycling (3h)

10:00 am

Field (W) Hammer Throw Gold Medal Final, 3000m Steeplechase Gold Medal Final, Swimming (W) Open Water 10k Gold Medal Final (3h30)

7:00 am

continued

Friday, Aug. 19

Water Polo (M) Gold Medal (1h15)

USA

Boxing Gold Medal Final, Wrestling (M) Freestyle Gold Medal Final (2h)

7:00 pm USA

Modern Pentathlon (M) Gold Medal Final, Taekwondo Gold Medal Final (2h)

8:00 pm NBC

Track and Field (M & W) Gold Medal, Volleyball (W) Gold Medal, Diving (M) 10m Platform Final (4h05)

1:35 am NBC

Track and Field (M & W) Gold Medal, Volleyball (W) Gold Medal, Diving (M) 10m Platform Final (3h25)

Sunday, Aug. 21 5:00 am NBC USA

7:30 am

Track and Field (M) Marathon (3h) Volleyball (M) Bronze Medal (2h30)

NBCSN Basketball (M) Bronze Medal Game (2h) USA Handball (M) Bronze Medal (1h)

8:00 am NBC

Gymnastics Rhythmic Group Gold Medal (1h15)

USA

Cycling (M) Mountain Bike Gold Medal Final (1h45)

NBC

Volleyball (M) Gold Medal (2h)

8:30 am 9:15 am

3:30 am

9:30 am

4:00 am

10:15 am

GOLF Golf (W) Round 3 (8h30) NBCSN Track and Field (M) 50k Walk Gold Medal Final (4h)

6:00 am USA

Badminton (M) Singles Semifinal, Water Polo (W) Bronze Medal (2h30)

8:00 am

NBCSN Wrestling (M) Freestyle Qualifying, Taekwondo Qualifying, Gymnastics Individual Qualifying (3h15)

MSNBC Badminton (W) Singles Gold Medal Final (1h)

NBCSN Wrestling (M) Freestyle Gold Medal Final, Boxing Gold Medal Final, Wrestling (M) Gold Medal Final (2h30)

USA

Handball (M) Gold Medal Final (1h45)

NBC

Basketball (M) Gold Medal (2h45)

11:15 am 8:00 pm NBC

Closing Ceremony Coverage of the official Closing Ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

(2h30)

whO TO ASHTON EATON decathlon

Ashton Eaton is at the top of his game. He’s been unstoppable for the past four years, ever since he captured Olympic gold in the decathlon. He claimed World Championship titles in 2013 and 2015 — he used 2014 as a “rest” year from the decathlon, instead focusing on the heptathlon, where he claimed the title at the World Indoor Chamby Cassie pionships. He holds the world reDRESCH cords for total points in both the decathlon and heptathlon, and at TV Media the track and field Olympic trials last month, he easily came out on top, scoring 325 more points than the second-place finisher. (For reference, the difference between second and third was 12 points.)

As he heads into Rio, Eaton can focus on defending his Olympic title, but also has the opportunity to make a little history with his wife, Canadian heptathlete Brianne Theisen-Eaton. No married couple who has competed together at the Olympics has ever won individual gold medals for different countries, and accomplishing that feat is a distinct possibility for Eaton and Theisen-Eaton.

CARLIN ISLES Rugby Sevens

Rugby sevens makes its Olympic debut in Rio, and if there’s one man to watch on Team U.S.A.’s rugby sevens team, it’s Carlin Isles — but don’t blink because you might miss him. Isles is considered to be the fastest man in rugby, and the stats back him up. In June, he posted a time of 10.15 seconds in the 100-meter dash, notching a personal best and qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Track and Field trials (he passed on the opportunity to focus on rugby). In YouTube videos, sevens games look as if they’re moving in slow motion until Isles picks up the ball and turns on the jets. For a man who has only been playing rugby for four years, he’s quickly made a name for himself, and is a great weapon for the U.S. team in Rio.

GABBY DOUGLAS gymnastics

Like many gymnasts, Gabby Douglas got her start early.

Her older sister, Arielle, is a former gymnast, and she helped Douglas learn some early moves like the cartwheel and one-armed cartwheel. It took some convincing to get Douglas’s mother to enroll her in formal training, but thanks in part to Arielle, it happened, and Douglas’s talents were quickly evident. Fast-forward to the 2012 Olympics, and Douglas, only 16 at the time, was making history. All of her training and competing had paid off, culminating in the moment she became the first woman of color to ever be crowned the individual all-around Olympic champion. She also added a gold medal in the team competition as part of the “Fierce Five.” Heading into Rio, Douglas is still at the top of her game, and bolsters a strong U.S. gymnastics team.

KATIE LEDECKY Swimming

Katie Ledecky hasn’t even reached the legal drinking age in the United States, but already she’s amassed an impressive résumé in the pool, and shows no signs of slowing down.

She’s broken world records 11 times, including a few of her own records; she won gold at the 2012 London Olympics in the 800-meter freestyle event as a 15 year old; she was named one of Time’s 100 most influential people this year; and she has more than a dozen international gold medals.

She is incredible to watch in the pool, and has the potential to have a long career, in the same vein as U.S. swimming teammate Michael Phelps. Rio will be a test for Ledecky to see if she can repeat as 800-meter champion and also add a few more medals to her collection.

ALEX MORGAN Soccer

A best-selling author, occasional TV guest star, and soccer player extraordinaire, Alex Morgan is at her best on the pitch, where she has almost 70 goals internationally, playing for Team U.S.A. The California native has played

The IndependenT

in two FIFA Women’s World Cups (helping guide the Americans to a win in 2015), an Algarve Cup, and, briefly, in the 2014 CONCACAF Women’s Championship, before reaggravating an ankle injury. Rio is her second kick at the Olympic can, her first being the London Games, where she was an integral part of the women’s team, scoring the pivotal game-winning goal in the 123rd minute of the semifinal against Canada. Morgan is riding into the 2016 Games having already had an outstanding first half of the year — she scored 12 seconds into a game against Costa Rica at the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifiers, setting the tournament and the U.S. women’s national team records; she notched her third career hat-trick in the same tournament; and she was named the MVP and Golden Boot recipient at the inaugural SheBelieves Cup in March.

KERRI WALSH JENNINGS Beach Volleyball

Kerri Walsh Jennings has been a powerhouse on the professional beach volleyball circuit for 15 years, but her success reaches back even further. In high school in the mid-’90s, she played basketball and volleyball, taking the volleyball squad to three state championships and the basketball squad to one state championship. She won the inaugural Gatorade National High School Volleyball Player of the Year award in 1996 (an award also won by her current teammate April Ross), and continued her dominance all throughout college. After graduating from Stanford with a bachelor’s degree in American studies, she jumped into beach volleyball, partnering up with Misty May-Treanor and carving a path as what many would consider the greatest beach volleyball team of all time. Now, after taking gold in beach volleyball at the last three Olympics with MayTreanor, Walsh Jennings takes to the court with Ross, a stellar player in her own right who lost to Walsh Jennings in London to claim silver.

August 3, 2016

RIO 2016 SummeR OlympIcS guIde

7

rio

did YoU KnoW? text by ryan Guebert, TV Media

Rio 2016 marks the first time a South American city has played host to the Olympic Games. Also, it’s the first time a Summer Olympics has been held entirely during a host country’s winter season.

VEnUES

The athletes’ village is the AT H l E T largest in Olympic history, E V il l A G ES ’ consisting of 29,000 mattresses, 80,000 chairs, 6,000 television sets, 10,000 smartphones, and 70,000 tables. An estimated 60,000 meals are being served every day at the athletes’ village. Traditional Brazilian foods like farofa, tapioca, açaí, brigadeiro, and pão de queijoare are available for athletes.

bE M -V in do S!

Additionally, two countries are making their Summer Olympics debut in Rio: Kosovo and South Sudan.

THE

H For the first time in the orc T history of the Summer Olympics, the main cauldron is not permanently located at the Games’ main stadium. The official cauldron is located in the port district of Rio de Janeiro.

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11

bill

Team U.S.A. has won 2,400 medals in 26 Summer Olympics, including 976 gold, and hopes to improve on the 103 medals won at the London 2012 Olympic Games. The most medals the U.S. has won at a Summer Games is 239, a record set in 1904 in St. Louis, Missouri.

ion

The total costs of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro will amount to more than $11 billion: $7.47 billion for the infrastructure, $2 billion for sports facilities and $2.16 billion for the operation and organization of the events.

.

A .

S .

U M A E T For the fifth time, Polo Ralph Lauren has designed Team U.S.A.’s uniforms for the official Opening and Closing Ceremonies, with all products being manufactured in the United States. During competition, Team U.S.A. athletes will wear Nike uniforms, with designated regalia for medalists to wear on the podium.

30 Y E A R S

8

RIO 2016 SummeR OlympIcS guIde

August 3, 2016

The IndependenT

The 18-hole golf course in Rio was designed by American golf course architect Gil Hanse. The course is in the Rio suburb of Barra da Tijuca, and is set to become the city’s first public golf course after the Games.

The center court at the Olympic Tennis Center in Barra da Tijuca was named after retired tennis player Maria Esther Bueno. Bueno was the first woman to win all four Grand Slam double titles in the same year.

The Rio Municipal Velodrome was designed by German architects in the shape of a bicycle helmet. The construction of the facility has been heavily delayed and will not be ready for testing until after July 25, shortly before the Games begin.

Team U.S.A.’s men’s basketball team has competed in 17 Summer Olympics, earning gold in 14. The team looks to add to their gold medal collection in Rio with 10 of the 12-man roster selected making their Olympic debuts. Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant are the only two returning gold medalists from 2012.