Daily schedule highlights and events to watch during the Tokyo Olympics (all times Eastern, which is 13 hours behind Tokyo). Reminder that TV coverage also streams on NBCOlympics.com and Peacock ...
TUESDAY, JULY 20 (DAY -3)
SOFTBALL
Japan-Australia (8 p.m., NBCSN)
U.S.-Italy (11 p.m., NBCSN)
Traditionally, some non-medal competition is held before the Opening Ceremony. Fittingly, softball will kick things off. Recall that the sport was voted off the Olympic program (by a single vote) by IOC members in 2005, with the 2008 Beijing Games its finale. It lost bids in 2006, 2009 and 2013 to get back into the Games. Finally, in 2016. it got back in under a new provision allowing host cities to propose additional sports. Softball goes back off the Olympic program after this year, but could return as soon as 2028. These first games will be in Fukushima, site of 2011 nuclear plant meltdowns caused by an earthquake and tsunami, 155 miles north of Tokyo.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 21 (DAY -2)
SOCCER
U.S.-Sweden (4:30 a.m., USA)
The U.S. women face a familiar opponent beginning their march to become the first team to follow a World Cup title with an Olympic title. In 2016, Sweden stunned the Americans in penalty kicks in the Olympic quarterfinals. Then-U.S. goalie Hope Solo called the Swedes, then coached by former U.S. coach Pia Sundhage, “a bunch of cowards” for their style of play. Solo was suspended for six months and hasn’t played for the national team since. The U.S. roster in Rio is led by veteran stars Megan Rapinoe, Carli Lloyd and Alex Morgan.
THURSDAY, JULY 22 (DAY -1)
SOCCER
Brazil-Germany (7:30 a.m., USA)
A rematch of the Rio Olympic final, where Neymar was the decisive scorer in the shootout at the Maracanã to clinch Brazil’s first Olympic soccer title. Neymar is not on this year’s team. It’s unusual for men’s soccer stars to be allowed by their super clubs to play the Olympics (Neymar was a special case in 2016, skipping Copa América Centenario to play at his home Games.) The U.S. failed to qualify for Olympic men’s soccer for a third consecutive time.
FRIDAY, JULY 23 (DAY 0)
OPENING CEREMONY (6:55 a.m., NBC)
NBC airs its first-ever live morning broadcast of an Olympic Opening Ceremony, live from the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo. The Parade of Nations -- with delegations encouraged to have one male and one female flag bearer -- will have a slightly tweaked order. Greece, which always goes first as the Olympics’ birthplace, will be followed by the Refugee Olympic Team. Japan, which goes last as host nation, will be immediately preceded by the next two Summer Olympic hosts -- France and the U.S. The cauldron lighting plan, including the final torch bearer, is traditionally kept secret to be a surprise. Later Friday, the first medals will be awarded in women’s air rifle shooting (9:45 p.m., NBCOlympics.com).
SATURDAY, JULY 24 (DAY 1)
SWIMMING
Finals (9:30 p.m., NBC)
The first morning finals: men’s and women’s 400m individual medley, men’s 400m freestyle and women’s 4x100m free relay. Key storylines: World 400m IM champion Seto Daiya could win Japan’s first gold medal of the Games, unless a judoka beats him to it on Friday. Americans Emma Weyant and Hali Flickinger are gold-medal contenders in the women’s 400m IM. The U.S. last won the women’s 4x100m free in 2000 and is again an underdog to Australia.
SKATEBOARDING
Men’s Street (11:25 p.m., USA)
The first-ever Olympic skateboarding competition. Nyjah Huston, the most well-known American skateboarder with nearly five million Instagram followers, won the world title in 2017, 2018 and 2019. But he was relegated to silver at 2021 Worlds by Japanese Horigome Yuto.
SUNDAY, JULY 25 (DAY 2)
SWIMMING
Finals (9:30 p.m., NBC)
Katie Ledecky enters Tokyo ranked second in the world this year in the 400m free, which she won in Rio in a world record that still stands. Australian Ariarne Titmus is reigning world champion and is 2.35 seconds faster than Ledecky this year after posting the second-fastest time in history at her Olympic Trials. In other finals, Brit Adam Peaty puts on the line a seven-year unbeaten streak in major international meets in the 100m breaststroke, where he owns the top 18 times in history. The men’s 4x100m free, a storied race since 2000, caps the night. It should be between the defending champion U.S. and Russia, which has the best 2021 team on paper with four of the world’s top 12.
MONDAY, JULY 26 (DAY 3)
SHOOTING
Women’s Skeet (1:50 a.m., NBCOlympics.com)
Men’s Skeet (2:50 a.m., CNBC)
The U.S.’ best shooting discipline in recent years. Kim Rhode took gold and bronze at the last two Olympics, but failed to qualify for Tokyo. Enter Amber English, who took bronze as part of a U.S. medals sweep at the last worlds in 2018. Vincent Hancock won the men’s Olympic title in 2008 and 2012, then didn’t make it out of qualifying in Rio.
GYMNASTICS
Men’s Team Final (6 a.m., Peacock)
The host nation would love to repeat as Olympic champion, but formerly dormant Russia re-emerged in this cycle, winning the last world title with the last two world all-around champions. China and Japan made every Olympic and world podium dating to 2016. The U.S. finished a distant fourth in 2018 and 2019.
FENCING
Women’s Sabre Final (7:45 a.m., NBCSN)
Men’s Foil Final (8:10 a.m., NBCSN)
The U.S.’ top female and male fencers from recent Olympics both vie for medals this day. Mariel Zagunis, the 2004 and 2008 Olympic champion, competes in her fifth Games and her first as a mom. Her last individual Olympic or world medal was in 2014. Alexander Massialas, the 2016 Olympic foil silver medalist, again bids to end a drought. No U.S. man has won an Olympic fencing title in the modern era of weapons. American Gerek Meinhardt, the world No. 2, also has a medal chance.
SWIMMING
Finals (9:30 p.m., NBC)
The U.S. boasts reigning Olympic champions and world-record holders in the women’s 100m breast (Lilly King) and men’s 100m back (Ryan Murphy). King is favored to repeat. Russian rival Yuliya Yefimova is ranked 14th in the world this year. Murphy was beaten at worlds in 2017 and 2019 and ranks third in the world this year. The U.S. won the last 12 Olympic men’s backstroke finals dating to the 1996 Atlanta Games. The women’s 100m back could be another U.S.-Australia duel between world-record holder Kaylee McKeown and former world-record holder Regan Smith.
TUESDAY, JULY 27 (DAY 4)
CYCLING
Women’s Mountain Bike (2 a.m., USA)
The U.S.’ best Olympic mountain bike finish is third since the discipline debuted in 1996. In Tokyo, 2018 World champion Kate Courtney and Haley Batten, a 22-year-old revelation this season, are medal contenders along with the favored French.
GYMNASTICS
Women’s Team Final (6:45 a.m., Peacock)
The U.S. is heavily favored for a third consecutive title, which hasn’t been done since the Soviets won eight in a row from 1956-1980. Simone Biles is joined by first-time Olympians Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles and Grace McCallum. Usual suspects Russia and China figure to fight for silver and bronze, though Italy snuck in for bronze at 2019 Worlds.
SOFTBALL
Final (7 a.m., NBCSN)
The U.S. beat Japan for the last world title in 2018 in an extra-inning walk-off. Japan beat the U.S. in the last Olympic softball game -- the 2008 final, snapping the Americans’ streak of winning every title since the sport’s debut at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
SWIMMING
Finals (9:30 p.m., NBC)
Ledecky is set up to swim the 200m free final, followed about 70 minutes later by the first Olympic women’s 1500m free final. She is ranked second in the world this year in the 200m, again trailing Titmus. She is most dominant in the 1500m with the 10 fastest times in history and the world’s top time this year by 5.63 seconds. Hungary will likely be watching the men’s 200m fly (Kristof Milak broke Michael Phelps’ world record in 2019) and the women’s 200m IM (defending champion Katinka Hosszu). Finally, the U.S. is an underdog in the men’s 4x200m free, which it won at the last four Olympics with Phelps and Ryan Lochte. Neither is on this team, of course.
CYCLING
Women’s Road Time Trial (10:30 p.m., CNBC)
American Chloé Dygert won the 2019 World title, then at 2020 Worlds lost control of her bike, flipped over a guardrail and sliced her left leg open like a soup can lid. She’s back, looking to extend U.S. dominance in this event set by her coach, Kristin Armstrong, who won it in 2008, 2012 and 2016.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 28 (DAY 5)
GYMNASTICS
Men’s All-Around (6:15 a.m., Peacock)
Japan’s Uchimura Kohei, who won the last two Olympic all-arounds, is not expected to contest the all-around but focus on the high bar. Nikita Nagornyy is the reigning world champion, looking to become the first Russian Olympic all-around gold medalist since Alexei Nemov in 2000. The U.S. last earned an Olympic or world men’s all-around medal in 2012.
BASKETBALL
Women’s 3x3 Final (8:55 a.m., NBCOlympics.com)
While the U.S. men failed to qualify for the debut of Olympic 3x3, the women have a quartet of WNBA veterans that should contend for a medal. In 3x3, games are played on a half-court, outdoors and end after 10 minutes or once a team scores 21 points.
SWIMMING
Finals (9:30 p.m., NBC)
Caeleb Dressel should swim the first of three individual finals here in the 100m free. He ranks fourth in the world this year, but his winning time from 2019 Worlds -- the third best in history -- would put him comfortably No. 1 in 2021. Flickinger and Smith are contenders to end the U.S.’ longest Olympic swimming medal drought in women’s 200m fly -- none since Misty Hyman‘s surprise gold in 2000. In the women’s 4x200m free relay, world champion Australia is favored to beat the U.S. for the first time since 2008 Beijing Games.
THURSDAY, JULY 29 (DAY 6)
GYMNASTICS
Women’s All-Around (6:50 a.m., Peacock)
Biles, undefeated in all-arounds since 2013, looks to become the first repeat gold medalist in the event since Vera Caslavaska in 1964 and 1968 and, at 24, the oldest since the Czech legend. She won the 2019 Worlds by the largest margin in history, and won the 2018 Worlds -- with two falls and a kidney stone -- by a nearly as dominant margin. Whichever American joins her in the final -- likely Lee or Chiles -- will likely also be a medal favorite.
ROWING
Women’s Eight (9:05 p.m., CNBC)
In Rio, the U.S. won a third consecutive Olympic title, extending the most dominant run for an American team -- 11 consecutive global titles between 2006 and 2016, bettering the U.S. men’s and women’s basketball streaks. Since, they were third, first and fourth at the last three world championships. This year’s crew includes two returning Olympians, coxswain Katelin Guregian and two-time Olympic champion Meghan Musnicki, who unretired.
CYCLING
Men’s BMX Race Final (10:40 p.m., CNBC)
Women’s BMX Race Final (10:50 p.m., CNBC)
The U.S. returns the Rio Olympic men’s gold medalist (Connor Fields) and the women’s silver medalist (Alise Willoughby). Fields’ best finish at worlds in this cycle was seventh. Willoughby won the 2017 and 2019 World titles and will look to deny Colombian Mariana Pajon a third consecutive gold.
SWIMMING
Finals (9:30 p.m., NBC)
Four finals that could be won by swimmers from four different continents. First-time U.S. Olympian Michael Andrew, who turned pro eight years ago at age 13, is the world’s fastest in the 200m IM this year and in this Olympic cycle. Murphy looks to defend his 200m back title. Like in the 100m back, Murphy was defeated at worlds in 2017 and 2019, and is not fastest in the world this year. Russian Yevgeny Rylov is. South African Tatjana Schoenmaker is fastest in the world this year in the 200m breast, ahead of King and training partner Annie Lazor. Australians Emma McKeon and Cate Campbell are tops in 2021 in the 100m free (Olympic and world champion Simone Manuel didn’t qualify in the event).
JUDO
Men’s 100+kg Final (Around 6 a.m., NBCOlympics.com)
France’s Teddy Riner is trying to become the second judoka to win three golds. Riner, a 32-year-old, 6-foot-8-inch native of Guadeloupe, won 154 consecutive matches from 2010 to 2020. Riner also captured 10 Olympic or world titles before sitting out the last three worlds to rest up for another Olympic run.
SWIMMING
Dressel is world champion and world-record holder in the 100m butterfly. Ledecky owns the 23 fastest times in history in her signature event, the 800m free, which she won at the 2012 London Games at age 15. McKeown could be going for a backstroke double in the 200m, after world-record holder Smith failed to make the U.S. team in the event. The session ends with the first Olympic mixed medley relay, where men and women could be in the pool at the same time depending on how teams configure their quartets.
SATURDAY, JULY 31 (DAY 8)
TENNIS
Women’s Final (Between 11 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. Saturday, Olympic Channel)
Naomi Osaka, who in 2016 was one of the highest-ranked players who just missed the Olympic qualifying cutoff, will be one of the most-watched athletes at the Games. She skipped Wimbledon after withdrawing from the French Open before the second round, detailing mental health struggles in recent years. Osaka faces top-ranked Ash Barty of Australia in the final if seeds hold. Serena Williams chose not to play the Olympics.
ARCHERY
Men’s Final (3:45 a.m., CNBC)
Brady Ellison looks to become the first American to take archery gold in 25 years. In 2012, he entered the Olympics ranked No. 1 and was eliminated in the round of 32. He came to Rio ranked sixth and left with individual bronze (missing the gold-medal match via semifinal shoot-off). In 2019, he became the first American to win an individual world title in archery’s Olympic discipline — recurve — since 1985.
TRACK AND FIELD
Women’s 100m Final (8:50 a.m., Peacock)
Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is the world’s fastest woman this year and could become the first woman to win three Olympic 100m titles (and her first as a mom). It could be a Jamaican sweep. Rio gold medalist Elaine Thompson-Herah and former 400m sprinter Shericka Jackson rank Nos. 2 and 3 among those in the Olympic field. Also Friday is the Olympic debut of the mixed 4x400m relay (8:35, Peacock), which could include Allyson Felix bidding for a 10th Olympic medal to tie Carl Lewis’ U.S. track and field record.
GOLF
Men’s Final Round (6:30 p.m., Golf Channel)
Golf returned to the Olympics in 2016 for the first time in 112 years. None of the three Rio men’s medalists are back for Tokyo, but the field does include U.S. Open champion Jon Rahm of Spain, Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama of Japan a strong American team -- Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau.
CYCLING
Women’s BMX Freestyle Final (9:10 p.m., CNBC)
Men’s BMX Freestyle Final (10:20 p.m., CNBC)
A new Olympic event. The U.S. has the women’s favorite in Hannah Roberts, who won her third world title last month and can become the first teenage woman to win an Olympic cycling title. American Justin Dowell, the 2018 World champion, is a medal contender in the men’s event.
SWIMMING
Finals (9:30 p.m., NBC)
The last session of pool finals. Dressel and Manuel are reigning world champions in the 50m free. If all goes well for Dressel in the week leading up, he could be going for a seventh medal, maybe even a sixth or seventh gold, in the medley relay to close the session. Phelps owns the record of eight golds at a single Olympics. Mark Spitz and Matt Biondi are the only other swimmers with more than six medals at a single Games.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 1 (DAY 9)
TENNIS
Men’s Final (Between 11 p.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. Sunday, Olympic Channel)
If Novak Djokovic decides to play the Olympics, he will go to Tokyo seeking the career Golden Slam and the fourth of five legs of the calendar Golden Slam (only done by Steffi Graf in 1988). Neither Rafael Nadal nor Roger Federer is playing.
GYMNASTICS
Event Finals (4 a.m., Peacock)
Biles looks to repeat as gold medalist on vault (4:55 a.m.), which she hasn’t lost at a global championship since 2015. She already has one vault named after her and could earlier in the Games get a second one, a Yurchenko double pike, that no woman has performed internationally. Later, Biles could be in the uneven bars final (6:27 a.m.), but it’s Lee, the 2019 World bronze medalist, who is the top U.S. medal hope there.
WEIGHTLIFTING
Women’s 76kg (6:50 a.m., NBCSN)
The U.S. last won weightlifting gold in 2000, but this year’s team is believed to be its best in 60 years. Katherine Nye is the 2019 World champion at 71kg, which is not an Olympic weight class. She is the second seed at the Olympics at 76kg, after spending half her life in gymnastics, and four years after dropping CrossFit to focus on lifting.
TRACK AND FIELD
Men’s 100m Final (8:50 a.m., Peacock)
A new champion will be crowned after Usain Bolt retired in 2017 and Justin Gatlin failed to make the U.S. team. American Trayvon Bromell, who was wheeled out of the Rio Olympics in a chair and whose sprint career appeared over two years ago due to injuries, is world’s fastest this year. Later at night, the women’s 100m hurdles final (10:50 p.m., NBC/USA) could pit world-record holder Keni Harrison against Puerto Rican Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, who owns the world’s three fastest times this year. Camacho-Quinn ran for the University of Kentucky while Harrison trained there as a volunteer assistant coach. Also watch American JuVaughn Harrison, who could compete in the finals of the high jump (6:10 a.m., Peacock) and the long jump (9:20 p.m., NBC).
MONDAY, AUGUST 2 (DAY 10)
GYMNASTICS
Event Finals (4 a.m., Peacock)
Biles competes on her most dominant apparatus, floor exercise (5 a.m.). She won it all six of her previous Olympics or world championships appearances and has two tumbling skills named after her. Countrywoman Jade Carey could be the silver-medal favorite if she qualifies into the final. Carey could throw a triple-twisting double layout, an upgraded version of one of Biles’ eponymous skills.
WRESTLING
Women’s 76kg Final (around 8 a.m., Olympic Channel)
Adeline Gray owns a U.S. record five world championships, but was upset in the quarterfinals in her lone Olympic appearance in 2016. After shoulder and knee surgeries, she came back from an 11-month break between matches to go 44-1 between 2018 and 2020.
CANOE
Women’s Kayak 200m Final (10:37 p.m., NBCOlympics.com)
New Zealand’s Lisa Carrington is one of the world’s dominant athletes. At last check, she was undefeated in this event since 2012, a run of around 40 races (she doesn’t keep track of the exact number). The 200m takes about 40 seconds, and she has won championships by more than a second.
TRACK AND FIELD
Men’s 400m Hurdles Final (11:20 p.m., NBC)
On July 1, Norwegian Karsten Warholm broke the longest-standing world record in men’s track races, taking down American Kevin Young‘s record from the 1992 Barcelona Games. But he could be challenged in Tokyo by American Rai Benjamin, who at Olympic Trials ran what is now the third-fastest time in history. Earlier, the U.S. should have medal contenders in the women’s long jump final (9:50 p.m., NBC/CNBC) with 2012 gold medalist Brittney Reese and Tara Davis.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 3 (DAY 11)
GYMNASTICS
Event Finals (4 a.m., Peacock)
Biles likely competes for the last time in her career. It’s the balance beam final (4:48 a.m.), the only final that she lost in 2016 (taking bronze). Biles has made it a point to make up for that, winning the 2019 World title and becoming the first gymnast to perform a double-twisting double-tucked salto dismount. Another legend may compete for the last time in the men’s high bar final (5:37). Uchimura is a medal favorite in perhaps the only event he will contest in Tokyo.
CYCLING
Women’s Team Pursuit Final (4:26 a.m., NBCOlympics.com)
The U.S. has never won an Olympic women’s track cycling title, but is reigning world champion in this event after taking silver in Rio. Dygert is expected to lead the quartet, just as she did at 2020 Worlds, where the team competed with “KC” stickers on their bikes and dedicated the victory to Kelly Catlin. Catlin, a member of the 2016 team, died by suicide on March 7, 2019.
TRACK AND FIELD
Women’s 400m Hurdles Final (10:30 p.m., NBC)
Could be another showdown between the two fastest women in history. Dalilah Muhammad won the Rio Olympics, and then the most recent world championships, breaking the world record twice in 2019. Sydney McLaughlin, who bowed out in the Rio semifinals at age 17, took silver behind Muhammad at 2019 Worlds, then broke Muhammad’s world record at the Olympic Trials. Other track and field finals Tuesday could include world-record holder Mondo Duplantis of Sweden in the men’s pole vault (6:20 a.m., Peacock), world champion DeAnna Price of the U.S. in the women’s hammer (7:35 a.m., Peacock), 19-year-old American phenom Athing Mu in the women’s 800m (8:25 a.m., Peacock) and American Gabby Thomas, the second-fastest woman in history, in the 200m (8:50 a.m., Peacock).
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4 (DAY 12)
TRACK AND FIELD
Men’s 200m Final (8:55 a.m., Peacock)
Noah Lyles is the reigning world champion and world’s fastest man this year. It could be an American sweep. Kenny Bednarek and 17-year-old Erriyon Knighton are second and third in the world this year among those entered in Tokyo. Other finals Wednesday include the women’s 3000m steeplechase (7 a.m., Peacock), where American Emma Coburn may look to upgrade her Rio bronze medal. The last U.S. woman to win an Olympic race longer than 400 meters was Joan Benoit in the marathon in 1984. American Ryan Crouser is the world-record holder and defending champion in the men’s shot put (10:05 p.m., NBC/USA). The favorite in the 110m hurdles (10:55 p.m., NBC) is Grant Holloway, the reigning world champion who at U.S. Trials missed the world record by .01.
CANOE
Women’s Canoe 200m Final (10:43 p.m., CNBC)
Nevin Harrison, 19, could become the first U.S. woman to win an Olympic canoe or kayak title. She picked up canoe after hip dysplasia forced her to stop sprinting on the track in 2016. Women’s kayak has been on the Olympic program since 1948, but women’s canoe debuts at the Tokyo Games.
SKATEBOARDING
Men’s Park Final (11:30 p.m., CNBC)
Hawaiian Heimana Reynolds is reigning world champion. At age 10, he was profiled by his local NBC TV station on Oahu in February 2009. He said his goal was to compete in the Olympics. Seven years later, skateboarding was added to the Olympic program.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 5 (DAY 13)
DIVING
Women’s Platform Final (2 a.m., USA)
Delaney Schnell may be the U.S.’ best hope at an individual diving medal in Tokyo. She was the surprise 2019 World bronze medalist after placing 27th at worlds in 2017 and fifth at the Pac-12 Championships that season for Arizona. The last U.S. woman to win an individual Olympic diving medal was Laura Wilkinson, who took platform gold in 2000. The favorite will likely be Chinese Chen Yuxi, who won the 2019 World title at age 13. China will again try to sweep the Olympic diving gold medals for the first time.
TRACK AND FIELD
Men’s 400m Final (8 a.m., Peacock)
Could include the last two Olympic champions (Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa, Kirani James of Grenada), the world-record holder (Van Niekerk) and the reigning world champion (Steven Gardiner of the Bahamas). U.S. hopes largely rest on Michael Norman, the world’s fastest man since the start of 2019. Also Thursday, Americans Sandi Morris and Katie Nageotte could be medal contenders in the women’s pole vault (6:20 a.m., Peacock). The world’s greatest female and male athletes will be crowned at the conclusion of the heptathlon (800m, 8:20 a.m., Peacock) and the decathlon (1500m, 8:40 a.m., Peacock). Great Britain’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson and German Niklas Kaul are reigning world champions.
SPORT CLIMBING
Men’s Lead Final (8:10 a.m., NBCOlympics.com)
The first medals will be decided in an event making its Olympic debut. Climbing features one set of medals per gender, the event combining three disciplines: lead, speed and bouldering. In lead, athletes are attached to a harness and climb a 49-foot route, attaching their rope to pre-set bolt anchors. Climbers are ranked according to the highest hold they reach on the route.
SOCCER
Women’s Final (10 p.m., USA)
If the U.S. makes it this far, it will bid to become the first nation to follow a World Cup title with an Olympic title. Host Japan has plenty of motivation, too. After beating the U.S. in the 2011 World Cup final, it lost to the Americans in finals at the 2012 Olympics and 2015 World Cup. But the Japanese have slipped to 10th in the world rankings. Rio Olympic champion Germany, ranked second in the world, and No. 3 France failed to qualify.
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Women’s Final (10:30 p.m., NBC)
Americans April Ross and Alix Klineman are ranked second in the world behind Canadians Sarah Pavan and Melissa Humana-Paredes. Ross looks for gold after taking silver with Jennifer Kessy in 2012 and bronze with Kerri Walsh Jennings in 2016. Walsh Jennings, the Olympic champion with Misty May-Treanor in 2004, 2008 and 2012, failed to qualify for Tokyo.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 6 (DAY 14)
TRACK AND FIELD
Women’s 400m Final (8:35 a.m., Peacock)
Likely the last individual Olympic race of Felix’s career. She took silver in the 200m in 2004 and 2008, gold in the 200m in 2012 and silver in the 400m in 2016. Here, she’s an underdog in the 400m, but the world’s seven fastest women since the start of 2019 are not expected to contest the event, so it could be wide open. In other finals, American Paul Chelimo could look to upgrade his Rio silver in the 5000m (8 a.m., Peacock), which should include world-record holder Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda. Kenyan Faith Kipyegon is favored to repeat as gold medalist in the women’s 1500m (8:50 a.m., Peacock), after having a baby since Rio. Jamaica is favored in the women’s 4x100m (9:30 a.m., Peacock). The U.S. is favored to win its first men’s 4x100m relay gold since 2000 (9:50 a.m., Peacock). The women’s marathon in Sapporo (6 p.m., USA) includes world-record holder Brigid Kosgei of Kenya.
GOLF
Women’s Final Round (6:30 p.m., Golf Channel)
World No. 1 Nelly Korda could be the first American woman to win an Olympic golf medal since 1900. So could her older sister, Jessica, as well as Lexi Thompson and Danielle Kang. All three Rio medalists are back -- South Korean Inbee Park, New Zealand’s Lydia Ko and Chinese Shanshan Feng.
BASKETBALL
Men’s Final (10:30 p.m., Peacock)
The U.S. won the last three gold medals but is vulnerable after finishing a program-worst seventh at the 2019 World Cup, then losing its first two pre-Tokyo exhibition games earlier this month. The roster includes Kevin Durant and Damian Lillard, but the rest of the NBA’s American superstars aren’t playing. Past rivals Argentina and Spain are led by aging veterans and could be supplanted by Australia or Nigeria.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 7 (DAY 15)
WATER POLO
Women’s Final (3:30 a.m., USA)
The U.S., looking for a third consecutive Olympic title, is 172-5 dating to December 2015. The team hasn’t dropped a game at an Olympics, World Championship, World Cup or a World League Super Final in that span.
BASEBALL
Final (6 a.m., NBCOlympics.com)
Maybe the most important gold medal(s) for the host nation. Tokyo organizers specifically requested for baseball’s addition to the program (along with other sports) after it was dropped after the 2008 Beijing Games. While MLB doesn’t send players to the Olympics, Japan’s top domestic league stops its season and sends an All-Star team to the Games. The U.S. is one of six teams in the tournament, fielding a roster that includes four past MLB All-Stars who are no longer on big-league clubs and 2014 Winter Olympic short track speed skating medalist Eddy Alvarez.
WRESTLING
Men’s Freestyle 97kg Final (around 7 a.m., Olympic Channel)
Kyle Snyder won this division in Rio to become the youngest U.S. Olympic wrestling champion at age 20. Since, Russian Abdulrashid Sadulayev, the Rio 86kg gold medalist, moved up and tussled with American in world championship finals in 2017 and 2018. Sadulayev, nicknamed the Russian Tank, won the last two world titles in 2018 and 2019. The last American to win back-to-back Olympic wrestling titles was John Smith in 1988 and 1992.
TRACK AND FIELD
Men’s 1500m Final (7:40 a.m., Peacock)
In Rio, Matthew Centrowitz became the first U.S. Olympic 1500m champion in 108 years. He is again an underdog this year. Kenyan Timothy Cheruiyot is the reigning world champion and world’s fastest this year. In other finals, American Vashti Cunningham should be a medal contender in the women’s high jump (6:35 a.m., Peacock). The women’s 10,000m (6:45 a.m., Peacock) is expected to include Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey and Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan, who traded the world record over a two-day span in June. The U.S. is historically dominant in the women’s 4x400m (8:30 a.m., Peacock) and men’s 4x400m (8:50 a.m., Peacock). The former will likely be Felix’s last Olympic race. Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge can become the first repeat gold medalist since 1980 in the men’s marathon (6 p.m., USA).
BASKETBALL
Women’s Final (10:30 p.m., NBC)
The U.S. enters Tokyo on a 49-game win streak in Olympic play dating to the 1992 Barcelona Games. It can match the Olympic team sport record of seven consecutive golds, set by the U.S. men’s basketball team from 1936-1968. Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi can become the first basketball players to win five gold medals. Their head coach, Dawn Staley, was their teammate at their first Olympics in 2004.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 8 (DAY 16)
VOLLEYBALL
Women’s Final (12:30 a.m., USA/NBC)
The U.S. enters the Olympics ranked No. 1 for the second consecutive time. In 2016, it hoped to win the program’s first Olympic title but took bronze under head coach Karch Kiraly. It was runner-up in 2012. Four players return from Rio: Kim Hill, Jordan Larson, Kelsey Robinson and Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson.
CLOSING CEREMONY (7 a.m., Peacock and 8 p.m., NBC)
The Olympic flame is extinguished at the Olympic Stadium. Next up: The Tokyo Paralympics opening Aug. 24, followed by the 2022 Winter Games that open Feb. 4 and the next Summer Olympics in Paris in 2024.
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