Live Coverage of Opening Ceremony Presented Wed., Aug. 28, at 1 p.m. ET on USA Network and Peacock
A Record 25 Commentators to Anchor NBCU’s Unprecedented Paralympics Coverage Across NBC, Peacock, USA Network, and CNBC; Aug. 28 – Sept. 8
Fareed to Host all Paralympic Programming on NBC; Andrea Joyce, Sophie Morgan, Britney Eurton, Lacey Henderson, and Waddell to Serve as Hosts; Carolyn Manno to Host Paralympic Debut of Gold Zone
Making History: Joyce and Henderson to be First NBCU On-Site Hosts at a Paralympic Games, while Morgan, Henderson, and Waddell are NBCU’s First Disabled Paralympics Hosts
Paralympic Medalists Amanda McGrory, Nichole Millage, and Jeremy Lade to Make On-Air Debuts
STAMFORD, Conn. – August 20, 2024 – NBC Sports host Ahmed Fareed and 13-time Paralympic medalist Chris Waddell will anchor NBCUniversal’s Opening Ceremony coverage of the Paralympic Games Paris 2024 on Wed., Aug. 28, beginning at 1 p.m. ET on USA Network and Peacock. The spectacular Paris Paralympic Opening Ceremony is set to take place on the world-famous Champs-Élysées at the Place de la Concorde.
Fareed and Waddell are part of NBCU’s record roster of 25 Paralympic commentators that will anchor its 1,500+ hours of programming across NBC, Peacock, USA Network, and CNBC, which begins just eight days from now.
“The growth of the Paralympic movement in the U.S. is represented by our unprecedented presentation as we have more than doubled the number of on-site commentators in order to bring home the atmosphere and emotions of the Paris Paralympics to our growing audience,” said Alexa Pritting, Paralympics Supervising Producer, NBC Sports. “This will enhance our talented U.S.-based team who will take us through the ins and outs of para sport and highlight what makes the Paralympics stand out as one of the largest sporting events in the world.”
Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer Andrea Joyce, 2016 U.S. Paralympic track & field athlete Lacey Henderson, Making Space & Making Space Media co-founder and disability advocate Sophie Morgan, NBC Sports’ Britney Eurton in her Paralympics debut, and Waddell, a Paralympic Hall of Famer and 13-time Paralympic medalist, including five golds, will serve as hosts of NBCU’s Paralympics coverage. Announced last week, longtime NBC Olympics and Paralympics host Carolyn Manno will host the Paralympic debut of Gold Zone. Fareed, who will be handling his third Paralympics assignment after recently hosting coverage for his fifth Olympics in Paris, will also host all Paralympic programming airing on NBC.
Morgan will host the Opening Ceremony pre-show setting up the biggest stories of the Games just before the spectacle begins on the Champs-Elysées. Pre-show coverage begins at 1 p.m. ET on USA Network and Peacock on Wed., Aug. 28, followed immediately by the Opening Ceremony at 2 p.m. ET.
Joyce and Henderson will often host live from the USOPC’s Team USA House in Paris and other locations around the city, becoming the first NBCU commentators ever to host in-person at a Paralympic Games, while Morgan, Eurton, Manno, and Waddell will report live from NBC Sports headquarters in Stamford, Conn. Additionally, Morgan, Henderson, and Waddell also make up the first-ever full-time Disabled hosts of NBCU’s Paralympics coverage.
Three Paralympians will make their NBC Sports debuts. Seven-time Paralympic medalist Amanda McGrory will serve as a track & field analyst, four-time Paralympic medalist Nichole Millage will call sitting volleyball, while 2012 London Paralympic bronze medal-winning wheelchair basketball player Jeremy Lade will serve as analyst for his sport.
Lewis Johnson returns for his sixth consecutive Paralympics assignment as an on-site reporter for track & field, with NBC Sports veteran play-by-play commentators Paul Swangard calling the events; Bill Spaulding will call the marathon.
In the pool, Todd Harris, in his fifth consecutive Paralympics, will call the events alongside two-time Paralympic swimming gold medalist Michelle Konkoly. Heather Cox, in her third consecutive Paralympics, will serve as reporter.
Joining Millage in covering sitting volleyball will be play-by-play voice Camryn Irwin with NBC News correspondent Emilie Ikeda; the duo will be making their Paralympics debut. Sloane Martin, calling wheelchair basketball, is also making her Paralympics debut, while two-time Paralympic gold medalist Matt Scott will serve as a reporter for his sport.
Chris Vosters will call wheelchair rugby alongside 2008 Beijing Paralympic gold medalist and former Team USA captain Mark Zupan, with Andy Stevenson as reporter. In triathlon, Elise Woodward will call the race with 2016 U.S. Paralympic triathlete Patricia Collins. Reporters Ikeda and Stevenson, along with their respective duties in sitting volleyball and wheelchair rugby, will be roving reporters covering different stories across countless sports at the Games.
HOSTS
- Andrea Joyce
- Lacey Henderson
- Ahmed Fareed
- Britney Eurton
- Sophie Morgan
- Carolyn Manno
- Chris Waddell
TRACK & FIELD
- Paul Swangard, Play-by-Play
- Bill Spaulding, Play-by-Play (Marathon)
- Amanda McGrory, Analyst
- Lewis Johnson, Reporter
SWIMMING
- Todd Harris, Play-by-Play
- Michelle Konkoly, Analyst
- Heather Cox, Reporter
SITTING VOLLEYBALL
- Camryn Irwin, Play-by-Play
- Nichole Millage, Analyst
- Emilie Ikeda, Reporter
WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL
- Sloane Martin, Play-by-Play
- Jeremy Lade, Analyst
- Matt Scott, Reporter
WHEELCHAIR RUGBY
- Chris Vosters, Play-by-Play
- Mark Zupan, Analyst
- Andy Stevenson, Reporter
PARA TRIATHLON
- Elise Woodward, Play-by-Play
- Patricia Collins, Analyst
***
Several unique features will make this year’s Paralympic Games one for the ages, including a breathtaking Opening Ceremony set to take place on the Champs-Élysées at the Place de la Concorde. Located in the heart of Paris, an estimated 4,400 athletes representing over 180 delegations from around the world are expected to take part in the opening festivities. Additional events taking place amidst the iconic Parisian landmarks include the Eiffel Tower, Roland Garros, Versailles, and more. This will be the first time the French capital will host the Paralympic Games.
NBCU’s Paralympic Games coverage will include the most streaming hours ever for a Paralympic event, with approximately 1,500 hours of live coverage across all 22 Paralympic sports set to be streamed on Peacock throughout the duration of the 12-day event. Additionally, more than 140 hours of Paris Paralympic television coverage across NBC, USA Network, and CNBC will be presented. NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app will provide streaming coverage via authentication.
For more information on NBCUniversal’s coverage of the 2024 Paris Paralympics, click here. More Paralympic coverage details will be announced soon.
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