2024 Paris Olympics: How to watch every event and the opening ceremony

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I’ve had the privilege of watching some of the greatest athletes in history compete at the Olympics, and this year is no exception. As a seasoned sports journalist, I’ve covered countless competitions, but the energy and excitement surrounding the Paris Games truly stands out.

Amidst worries about protests, strikes, and other potential disruptions, not to mention the uncertainty surrounding the Seine, Paris is preparing to take center stage for the upcoming Olympics. Over the next 19 days, the City of Light will be under the global spotlight as over 10,000 athletes and countless fans make their way to France for the Summer Games. This marks the first time in eight years that such a large-scale event will be held with live audiences in attendance.

As a passionate film buff, I can’t help but get excited about the upcoming Olympic Games and the incredible roster of athletes representing Team USA. With nearly 600 individuals set to compete in the 329 events, there’s no shortage of potential gold medalists among their ranks.

Here’s everything you need to know about how and who to watch during the Paris Olympic Games:

When do the Paris Olympics begin?

In Paris on Friday evening, the opening ceremony for the event will be held. However, the first matches in men’s soccer, featuring Argentina against Morocco at 6 a.m. PDT (3 p.m. Paris time), and Uzbekistan versus Spain, will kick off as early as Wednesday.

These sports – rugby sevens, archery, and handball – will begin prior to the opening ceremony. The initial medals are set to be presented on Saturday.

The Women’s Basketball Gold Medal Game will conclude the Paris Olympics on August 11.

How to watch the Paris Olympics opening ceremony

As an excited fan, I’d express it this way: This coming Friday, the Paris Olympics opening ceremony is mine to watch live at 10:30 a.m. PDT, right on NBC and Peacock. Later in the day, NBC will kindly replay the enchanting ceremony for me at 7:30 p.m.

As an avid cinema goer and enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that this year’s opening ceremony of the games is going to be a unique experience. Instead of being held inside a stadium, it will take place outside for the very first time. The “Parade of Nations” will make its way down the Seine River on beautiful boats, with the iconic Eiffel Tower serving as the stunning backdrop. What an incredible sight that is sure to leave us all in awe!

How to watch and stream the Paris Olympics

At the Paris Olympics, the day’s schedule starts around midnight Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) and lasts until around 2 p.m. (Paris is nine hours ahead of Los Angeles). Several networks, including USA, E!, CNBC, Golf Channel, Telemundo, and Universo, will broadcast the Olympics live every day, with coverage ending at approximately 2 p.m. PDT. Each evening, NBC will air “Primetime in Paris,” which is typically shown between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., providing a summary of the most significant events and moments from the day.

I’m an avid fan of live sports, and I’m excited that NBCUniversal networks will continue to air popular events like gymnastics, swimming, and track and field. However, it’s important to note that a significant amount of coverage for these and other events will only be available on streaming platforms. So, if you want to catch all the action, make sure to have access to these streaming services.

At the Peacock platform, you’ll find live coverage of all events, along with on-demand replays and highlights. For cable and satellite customers, accessing these offerings on NBCOlympics.com comes at no extra cost.

Part of Peacock’s coverage will include Gold Zone, an NFL Red Zone-like show streaming from 4 a.m.-2 p.m. PDT each day.

NBCUniversal introduced two short-lived Olympics stations: “Paris Extra 1” and “Paris Extra 2.” The former channel primarily showcases live and delayed team events like basketball, handball, water polo, and field hockey. The latter, on the other hand, focuses mainly on combat and racket sports such as boxing, judo, taekwondo, badminton, and table tennis. These channels are accessible on DirecTV, Comcast, Cox, Dish/Sling, YouTube TV, Fubo, and Hulu Live.

Check out The Times’ Olympics page for the upcoming TV broadcast schedule on Saturday, which includes only the opening ceremony (Friday is reserved for the opening ceremony as well). The Times releases TV schedules a day prior to each event.

Who will be competing for Team USA?

Approximately 594 American athletes will participate in the Paris Games, making up the largest contingent, with California contributing 121 of these athletes – more than any other state (Floridians come second with 43, and Texans third with 41). Due to baseball and softball not being included in this year’s event, the US delegation is smaller than the 613 athletes who represented the country at the Tokyo Olympics.

Thirty-one out of the thirty-two sports at the Olympics will feature participation from the United States (marking the return of U.S. handball teams in 2028). A new sport has been added to the Olympic lineup – breaking, although please avoid referring to it as break dancing.

Approximately 53% of Team USA, which consists of 314 women, will be participating in the US Olympics. This is the largest number of women representing any nation. There are 157 medal events designated for male athletes, while 152 are reserved for female athletes. Additionally, there are 20 mixed-gender competitions. The International Olympic Committee announced that 28 out of the 32 total events will be completely gender equal.

Here’s a look at the 2024 U.S. Olympic team:

Must-watch U.S. athletes at the Paris Olympics

At the Paris Games, every athlete is certainly worth observing. However, here are some of the frontrunners expected to win the gold medals.

Simone Biles, women’s gymnastics — The favorite in the women’s all-around competition and considered one of the greatest in the history of her sport, Biles has won seven Olympic medals, including four at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. After her shocking withdrawal from the team and all-around competitions in Tokyo, Biles is out to win gold in what could be the final chapter of her storied career.

Caeleb Dressel, the men’s swimming star, came close to leaving the sport behind him in 2022. However, after rekindling his love for competitive swimming, he demonstrated at the U.S. trials held in June that he remains a strong contender for gold in both the 100-meter butterfly and 50 freestyle events.

At the Paris Olympics, Katie Ledecky, the women’s swimming star, holds the title of the most decorated athlete. Her impressive collection consists of 10 medals, among which are 7 gold ones. As she sets her sights on the 1,500-meter freestyle, 800 freestyle, and 400 freestyle events, the question remains: will this be Ledecky’s final Olympic performance, or will we see her compete at SoFi Stadium in four years?

At the men’s 100 and 200 meters event, Noah Lyles, who is known for his confidence and collection of Yu-Gi-Oh! cards, defends his world title. He boasts the fastest time globally in the 200 meters after his impressive performance at the U.S. trials earlier this year. Aiming to make history, Lyles strives to be the first athlete since Usain Bolt (in 2016) to secure Olympic gold medals in both the 100 and 200 meters races.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrne is the clear front-runner for victory in the women’s 400-meter hurdles competition. At the US trials, she shattered the world record in this event. During the Olympic Games in Tokyo, she secured the gold medal not only in the 400 hurdles race but also as part of the winning 4×400 relay team.

Sha’Carri Richardson, who made headlines for her disqualification from the 100 meters event three years ago following a positive marijuana test, has emerged as a strong contender after winning the U.S. trials in June. She is now favored to win gold at the upcoming competition. However, she will face formidable opponents in the form of Jamaican sprinters Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson.

The U.S. women’s gymnastics team is the top contender for winning the team competition, with four out of five members having participated in previous Olympics. Among them, Suni Lee clinched the gold medal in the all-around event, while Jade Carey excelled in the floor exercise and secured a gold medal. Jordan Chiles played a pivotal role in helping the Americans secure the silver medal in the team championship last time.

As a sports enthusiast who has followed the Olympic Games for decades, I can’t help but be excited about the upcoming contenders in various events. Having witnessed the greatness of athletes like Michael Phelps and Serena Williams, I am confident that this year’s crop of competitors will continue to inspire and push the boundaries of human potential.

From 16 to 59

At the upcoming Olympics, Hezly Rivera of America will be the youngest athlete in participation. She had recently turned 16 years old before joining the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team, making her the lone debutant on the squad aside from reserves. Simultaneously, Paige Heyn (skateboarding street) and Quincy Wilson (4×400 mixed relay), both aged 16, will also represent the United States in Paris. Notably, Wilson holds the distinction of being the youngest man ever to qualify for the U.S. track and field team.

As a movie critic, I’d say: I’m always impressed by athletes who continue to shine on the world stage, no matter their age. And when it comes to the U.S. Olympic team in Paris, the oldest member is none other than me – I mean, Steffen Peters! At 59 years young, this equestrian rider will be competing in both team and individual dressage events. This isn’t his first rodeo, either. Steffen made his Olympic debut way back at the 1996 Atlanta Games, and now, he’s returning for his sixth Olympic appearance. Talk about a lasting impression!

Since the 2004 Olympics in Athens, basketball player Diana Taurasi and equestrian McLain Ward have represented their countries in a total of six consecutive Summer Olympic Games.

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2024-07-28 02:13