OLYMPICS IN HIGH HEELS: 8/19/16 HIGHLIGHTS
STAMFORD, Conn. – August 19, 2016 – Coming up tonight on NBC Olympics’ coverage of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:
- Primetime coverage, which begins at 8 p.m. (ET/PT) on NBC, is highlighted by track and field, featuring what could be eight-time gold medalist Usain Bolt’s last career Olympic race, as he anchors Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team against Justin Gatlin and the U.S. The women’s 4x100m relay will feature seven-time Olympic medalist Allyson Felix and two-time individual Rio medalist Tori Bowie as the Americans look for their second consecutive Olympic title in an event that figures to be another U.S.-Jamaica showdown. Track and Field coverage also includes the women’s pole vault, the men’s hammer throw and the women’s 5000m.
- In addition, tonight in primetime, American David Boudia competes in men’s platform diving qualifying. Boudia aims to become the first back-to-back men’s platform diving gold medalist since American Greg Louganis repeated in 1988.
Following are highlights from today’s coverage of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games on NBC and the networks of NBCUniversal:
WATER POLO – NBC
Analyst Julie Swail on the gold medal-winning U.S. women’s water polo team: “The U.S. has such a deep roster. They can score from so many different athletes in so many different parts of the pool. It’s very hard for other teams to defend such a deep team.”
Swail on Team USA winning 12-4 against Italy: “I did not expect this game to be such a blowout. They were really genuinely worried about Italy because Italy runs such a creative defense. They do allow shots, but they’re also very good at countering, and Italy has not had any counters except for one in the first quarter. They’ve handled this Italian team very well.”
Reporter Pierre McGuire on the Americans’ strength: “Today is a display of what the Americans would call energy, efficiency, and excellence. They have dominated in every facet of this tournament, but, today, particularly in those three areas.”
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INDOOR VOLLEYBALL – NBC
Analyst Kevin Barnett on the Italian team, which defeated Team USA in the semifinals: “U.S. coach John Speraw thinks Italy is playing the best volleyball of anyone in this tournament. He really admired the way (Simone) Giannelli has captained his squad. They’re emotionally together, and they’re hard to break.”
Play-by-play commentator Paul Sunderland on Italy’s Ivan Zaytsev: “When Ivan Zaytsev went back to serve, the United States led 22-19. He put that entire team on his very broad shoulders and carried them across the finish line, serving up six straight points. That’s one of the best runs under pressure I’ve ever seen.”
Barnett on the Italian team: “Ivan Zaytsev, king of Italy. This Italian team is forever volleyball royalty.”
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SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING – NBC
Analyst Heather Olsen on the dominance of the gold medal winning Russian team: “There’s a really clear difference in the Russian program and what we’ve seen so far from the other countries….these athletes are incredible. They’re just a force to be reckoned with. No signs of weakness on this team.”
Play-by-Play commentator Dave Benz: “They stay underwater for about half of the four-minute routine. By comparison, imagine going around the track and doing a couple laps and holding your breath for half the time.”
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GOLF – GOLF CHANNEL
Analyst Brandel Chamblee on Inbee Park (11-under, Leader – Korea): “When you look at her, she doesn’t hit it very far. In baseball terms, you’d say she hits a lot of singles. But you can make it to the Hall of Fame hitting a lot of singles… It didn’t matter whether she was downwind or into the wind, she’s completely unfazed and just goes about her business with no change of rhythm.”
On-course reporter Jerry Foltz on Park: “I said it before the week started, if Inbee were to get a medal here, that would be more of a surprise to me than just about anything.”
Analyst Karen Stupples on Gerina Piller (9-under, T-2nd – United States): “She came to golf a little bit later, she didn’t start playing until she was 15. And for her to be achieving this, she doesn’t really know what her capabilities are yet as a player.”
Chamblee on Piller: “Improbable. It’s absolutely unbelievable that she hasn’t won (on the LPGA Tour). She looks absolutely flawless.”
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BASKETBALL – NBCSN
Analyst Doug Collins on the U.S. men’s basketball team’s 82-76 victory over Spain in the semifinals: “The United States is going back into that locker room with some relief, because Spain played them tough today. They would not go away… the United States would push a little separation; Spain would come up with big shots. They fought. They were tough.”
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.
