FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, August 13th, 2016

2016 RIO OLYMPIC GAMES – AUG. 13 DAYTIME HIGHLIGHTS ON THE NETWORKS OF NBCUNIVERSAL

Tonight in Primetime – Michael Phelps Swims in Potential Final Race of His Career in 100m Medley Relay Final

American Connor Jaeger Goes for Gold in Men’s 1500m Free; Australian Sisters Bronte and Cate Campbell Swim in Women’s 50m Free Final

Track and Field Includes American Tori Bowie in Women’s 100m Final, American Galen Rupp and Great Britain’s Mo Farah in Men’s 10,000m Rematch

United States Can Win Its 1,000th Gold Medal in Olympic History Tonight


STAMFORD, Conn. – August 13, 2016 – Coming up tonight on NBC Olympics’ coverage of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:

 

  • Live coverage includes what could be Michael Phelps’ final Olympic race, as he swims the butterfly leg for Team USA in the men’s 4x100m medley relay. Other swimming finals include the women’s 4x100m medley, Connor Jaeger of the U.S. in the men’s 1500m free, and Australia’s Bronte Campbell and Cate Campbell in the women’s 50m free.

 

  • Track and field finals feature American Tori Bowie in the women’s 100m, plus training partners Mo Farah of Great Britain (2012 gold) and Galen Rupp of the United States (2012 silver) in a men’s 10,000m rematch. In the heptathlon, Canada’s Brianne Thiesen-Eaton, wife of U.S. decathlon star Ashton Eaton, is among the challengers to reigning gold medalist Jessica Ennis-Hill of Great Britain.

 

Through Saturday’s daytime competition, the United States has won a total of 998 gold medals throughout its Olympic history, and could get to 1,000 gold medals during tonight’s competition.

Click here for a preview of tonight’s primetime action.

Following are highlights from today’s coverage of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games on NBC and the networks of NBCUniversal:

 

DIVING – NBC

Reporter Kelli Stavast on the condition of the water at the aquatic center: “Ten Olympic officials held a press conference here at the aquatic center just moments ago and here’s what they told us. Last week, the wrong chemical, hydrogen peroxide, was put into the pools. Hydrogen peroxide essentially neutralized the chloride in the water, which is what kills the organisms – so at some point, algae was growing in the pools, which may have contributed to that green color. As for a solution, they said they are working on a total renovation to the system of filters in the diving pool, which includes changing out the sand in those filters tonight. They hope to see an improvement by tomorrow morning. But, Mario Andrada, the Executive Director of Communications for these Olympic Games, admitted that twice he has overpromised and underdelivered. But their main point they emphasized again, that the water is safe for the athletes. The athletes’ health remains a priority, but they hope to improve the aesthetics and see that change tomorrow morning.”

***

TRACK AND FIELD – NBC AND NBCSN

Analyst Ato Boldon on Usain Bolt: “At this point in the season, sprinters always have something bothering them. With Usain, it just happened to be when his Trials came around, it was his hamstring that was bothering him…when I saw him practice this week, there was nothing wrong with him…I expect normal service resumed for Usain Bolt.”

Daytime host Al Michaels on Bolt: “He’s such an imposing figure at 6’5 and 207 lbs…all I could think about – one time, I would just like to see him lined up outside and go against Darrelle Revis or Josh Norman…he is sensational.”

Boldon on Bolt’s personality: “If you’re seeing him for the first time, some of what you see may come across as arrogance. But he’s as humble of a superstar as I’ve ever been around. When you see him in Jamaica and around the world, there is a constant stream of people trying to get his attention and his autograph – I’ve never seen him turn anyone down.”

Boldon on Bolt, finishing first in his heat in the 100m: “Not a good reaction to the gun, and not very good acceleration either…you see his reaction, not completely pleased…he looked a little rusty, but he did get the job done.”

Analyst Tim Hutchings on Germany’s Christoph Harting defeating Poland’s Piotr Malachowski in men’s discus: “Oh boy… it’s putting it in perspective – heartbreak, or elation. Christoph Harting keeps the gold in the Harting family!”

Hutchings on the upset: “That has got to be one of the most heartbreaking moments for Piotr Malachowski and Polish fans at these Rio games so far in any discipline. With seconds to go, Malachowski has that gold ripped out of his hands and slapped down into the palm of Christoph Harting.”

***

ROWING – NBC

Play-by-play announcer Leigh Diffey on Team USA in the women’s eight, winning its third consecutive gold: “It’s about the team, it’s about the legacy, and this U.S. women’s eight is something sensational. Not just this year, but for the past 10 years. It’s a dominant, strong and true performance – three goals in a row for Team USA in the women’s eight! The dynasty continues!”

Analyst Mary Whipple, who was a member of the 2008 and 2012 gold medal-winning women’s eight teams: “We just witnessed nine women living in the moment, allowing each other to be the best versions of themselves – it’s the greatest feeling in the world…they’re inspiring the next generation, they’re living in the moment, they owned the moment, but they also inspire what’s next…the next women’s chapter.”

Whipple on American Gevvie Stone winning silver in the women’s single sculls, after finishing seventh in London in 2012: “Gevvie Stone had the race of her life. She owned it from stroke one…she grabbed and earned her silver medal.”

***

BASKETBALL – USA NETWORK

Reporter Ros Gold-Onwude on what the Brazil-Argentina rivalry means from a player’s point of view: “Brazil’s Marcelo Huertas tried to explain to me what this rivalry means. He said, ‘You learn it as a child. It’s not just football – it’s any sport. Sometimes a win in any game against Argentina means more than the championship.”

Analyst Doug Collins on Argentina’s performance in double overtime of their 111-107 win over rival Brazil: “They don’t call them the ‘Golden Generation’ just to throw that term out there. They’re proud, smart, and tough.”

***

GOLF – GOLF CHANNEL

Analyst Nick Faldo on golfers playing with mindset of being in medal contention in the men’s tournament: “You’ve got to go in with that attitude of Monte Carlo or bust – you’ve got to throw the dice…you’re going to see guys coming down those last three or four holes really battling and really jostling for the medals.”

Bubba Watson to reporter Steve Sands about an odd miscue on the 14th green, when his first putt came up 35 feet short of the hole: “That was the funniest thing ever. I’m going to be a legend now…when I got over to hit (the ball), some mud came off of the bottom of my putter. I thought it was like a bee or something – I didn’t know what it was – so I tried to stop my stroke. Obviously I didn’t stop it quick enough and the ball rolled about four or five feet.”

Sands: “What does it say about you that you were able to mentally recover from that and finish well down the stretch?”

Watson: “What can you do?  It was one of those freak things…you just keep going. At the same time, we’re at the Olympics. No matter what happens, even if I finish dead last, I’m an Olympian and that’s an amazing feeling.”

 

ABOUT NBC OLYMPICS

A division of NBC Sports Group, NBC Olympics is responsible for producing, programming and promoting NBCUniversal’s Olympic coverage. It is renowned for its unsurpassed Olympic heritage, award-winning production, and ability to aggregate the largest audiences in U.S. television history. The 2012 London Olympics were watched by 217 million Americans across the networks of NBCUniversal, making it the most-watched event in U.S. television history.

 

-RIO 2016-