Here are your viewing highlights for Thursday on the networks of NBC Universal. Remember, the Olympics in Communist China end on Sunday so we’re in the home stretch and we’ll deal with the next Summer Games in four years.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 21 – DAY 13
NBC and NBC HD
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Track & Field - Decathlon
Gymnastics – Rhythmic Competition
Women's Water Polo – Gold or Bronze Medal Match
Equestrian – Individual Jumping Gold Medal Final
Softball – Gold Medal Game Report
8:00 p.m. – Midnight
Track & Field – Gold Medal Finals
Men's 400m, 110m Hurdles, Triple Jump
Women's 200m
Decathlon Day 1
Women's Diving – Platform Gold Medal Final
Men's Beach Volleyball – Gold Medal Match (LIVE)
12:35 a.m. – 2:00 a.m
Men's Volleyball – Semifinal (LIVE)
Track & Field – Gold Medal Finals
Women's Javelin Throw
Men's Beach Volleyball – Bronze Medal Match
CNBC and CNBC HD
Midnight - 2:00 a.m.
Women's Track & Field – 20k Walk
5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Wrestling – Freestyle 84kg, 96kg, 120kg Gold Medal Finals
USA and USA HD
2:00 a.m. – Noon
Women's Soccer – Gold Medal Match (LIVE)
Softball – Gold Medal Game (LIVE)
Women's Beach Volleyball – Bronze Medal Match China vs. Brazil
Men's Swimming – Marathon
Canoeing – Semifinals
Women's Table Tennis – Quarterfinal
Men's Table Tennis
MSNBC
5:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Women's Basketball – Semifinal USA vs. Russia (LIVE
Semifinal China vs. Australia (LIVE)
Women's Soccer – Bronze Medal Match Germany vs. Japan (LIVE)
Women's Water Polo – Bronze Medal Match Australia vs. Hungary (LIVE)
Wrestling – Freestyle 84kg, 96kg, 120kg Competition
Women's Handball – Semifinals Norway vs. Korea
Women's Volleyball – Semifinal China vs. Brazil
Men's Field Hockey – Semifinal Netherlands vs. Germany
OXYGEN
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Gymnastics on Oxygen Gala
TELEMUNDO
2:00 a.m. – 6:00 a.m.
Track & Field – Gold Medal Finals
Women's Diving – Platform Competition and Semifinal
8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Women's Soccer – Gold Medal Match (LIVE)
Women's Beach Volleyball – Gold Medal Match
Midnight – 1:00 a.m.
TBA
UNIVERSAL HD
24-hour MSNBC & CNBC HD Simulcasts and Coverage
NBC OLYMPIC SOCCER CHANNEL
6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Women's Final
6:00 a.m. – 7:45 a.m. Bronze Medal (LIVE)
9:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Gold Medal (LIVE)
11:40 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Medal Ceremony (LIVE)
12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Cycle repeats
NBC OLYMPIC BASKETBALL CHANNEL
8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Women's Semifinals
8:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Game #1 (LIVE)
10:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Game #2 (LIVE)
12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Game Re-airs
4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m Game Re-airs
NBCOlympics.com - LIVE STREAMING BROADBAND COVERAGE:
Baseball – Semifinal
Men's & Women's Field Hockey
Men's Modern Pentathlon – Swimming, Riding & Running
Women's Modern Pentathlon – Shooting & Fencing
Sailing – Gold Medal Finals
Men's Taekwondo – 68kg Gold Medal Finals, 80kg Competition
Women's Taekwondo – 57kg Gold Medal Finals, 67kg Competition
Women's Basketball – Semifinals
Canoeing – Flatwater Semifinals
Women's Handball – Competition & Semifinals
Men's Handball
Equestrian – Individual Jumping Gold Medal Final
Women's Soccer – Gold & Bronze Medal Games
Softball – Gold Medal Game
Men's & Women's Table Tennis – Singles Competition & Semifinals
Men's Wrestling – Freestyle 84kg, 96kg, 120kg
Water Polo
NBC PRIMETIME HIGHLIGHTS:
Defending Olympic gold medalist and two-time reigning world champion Jeremy Wariner – whose agent and mentor is the only man to repeat as Olympic 400m champion Michael Johnson – has been dominant in his signature event, the 400m, though fellow American LaShawn Merritt topped Wariner at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Led by Wariner, the USA swept the medals in Athens and at the 2007 World Championships, and a repeat sweep with Wariner and Merritt at the fore in Beijing is possible.
Four years ago, teen sensation Allyson Felix was a rising star and won the 200m silver in her Olympic debut. Last year at the World Championships, she dominated the field and is the favorite for gold in Beijing. Also watch for Jamaican sprint queen Veronica Campbell-Brown, the defending Olympic champion in the 200m.
While expecting a showdown with Athens gold medalist Liu Xiang in his home country, instead world record holder Dayron Robles of Cuba will contend with a pair of Americans, David Oliver and David Payne, in a bid for his first Olympic medal. Also in contention for an upset is 2005 World champion Ladji Doucoure of France.
Who's the "World's Greatest Athlete?" It just may be reigning Olympic and world champion Roman Sebrle of the Czech Republic, who will face a strong challenge from his good friend and Athens silver medalist Bryan Clay in Day 1 of the two-day decathlon competition.
Laura Wilkinson is used to being the underdog. In Sydney she came back from eighth place in the final round to win an unexpected gold medal, competing with broken bones in her foot. Then after a fifth-place finish in Athens, Wilkinson came back to win a world championship one year later. Now, at age 30, she plays the underdog again, this time behind two Chinese teens half her age: Wang Xin, the 2007 world champion, and Chen Ruolin, 2008 World Cup champion.
NBC DAYTIME HIGHLIGHTS:
Gold is at stake in women's water polo for the third time in Olympic history, and Team USA, led by Brenda Villa, could be looking to add one to its collection after winning silver in 2000 and bronze in 2004.
NBC LATENIGHT HIGHLIGHTS:
If you like volleyball, this show is for you. Indoors, you'll find live semifinal action. On the sand, it's the men's bronze medal match in beach volleyball.
USA NETWORK HIGHLIGHTS:
This could be a golden day for Team USA in women's team sports live on USA. First, the USA Softball Team is expected to play for its fourth – and perhaps final – Olympic gold medal (softball has been removed from the Olympic program beginning in 2012). Also, the USA Women's Soccer Team, led by a new generation of stars is looking to repeat as Olympic champion, as they take on Marta and Team Brazil.
MSNBC HIGHLIGHTS:
The USA Women's Basketball Team has won three straight Olympic gold medals, and Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Lisa Leslie & Co. and today will take on Russia in the semifinal, live on MSNBC.
CNBC HIGHLIGHTS:
Gold medals are on the line as the big men take the mat in Freestyle Wrestling's 84kg, 96kg and 120kg Finals. Daniel Cormier, in the 96kg class, is one of Team USA's top hopes, and New Jersey's Steve Mocco makes his Olympic debut in the 120kg class, representing a family of athletes.
OXYGEN HIGHLIGHTS:
An encore presentation of the gymnastics Champions Gala, featuring the men's and women's stars of the Beijing gymnastics competition one last time as they perform routines set to their favorite music.
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