Olympic track and field action in Rio de Janeiro gets underway Friday. The morning session features the first final of the Games, the women’s 10,000. Racers at shorter distances will contest qualifying rounds in the morning and evening sessions. Here’s what and how to watch.
HIGHLIGHTS
Women's 10,000 meters final, 10:10 a.m. Eastern: At the World Championships last year, Emily Infeld RW+ Membership Benefits Molly Huddle for a surprise bronze medal when Huddle prematurely celebrated. The two will face a much deeper field in Rio, including two-time defending champion Tirunesh Dibaba, 2015 world champion Vivian Cheruiyot, and 2015 5,000-meter world champion Almaz Ayana, who has the fastest 10,000-meter time of the year.
Dibaba and Cheruiyot have ferocious finishing kicks, while Ayana and Kenyan Trials champion Alice Aprot fare better with a consistently hard pace. Huddle, Infeld, and their teammate Marielle Hall might have to break Shalane Flanagan’s U.S. record of 30:22 just to be in contention over the final mile.
Also: The first (of three) rounds in the men’s 800 and women’s 1500 will give early hints about the fitness of world record holders David Rudisha and Genzebe Dibaba, as well as insight on how U.S. champions Clayton Murphy and Jenny Simpson have progressed since July’s Olympic Trials.
HOW TO WATCH (all times Eastern):
Streaming: 8 a.m., nbcolympics.com and the Men’s 400 meters
TV: 8 a.m.-noon, NBCSN
10 RW+ Membership Benefits
8 p.m.-midnight, NBC
TODAY’S RUNNING SCHEDULE:
| Allie Ostrander’s Emotional Struggle at USAs | ||
|---|---|---|
| TIME (Eastern) | EVENT | ROUND |
| 9:10 a.m. | Men’s 800 meters | 1st Round |
| 10:10 a.m. | Women’s 10,000 meters | Final |
| 10:55 a.m. | Women’s 100 meters | 1st Round |
| 7:30 p.m. | Women’s 1500 meters | 1st Round |
| 8:05 p.m. | Men’s 400 meters | 1st Round |
| 9:40 p.m. | Women’s 100 meters | Quarterfinals |
The full, day-by-day running schedule is available here.
Scott is a veteran running, fitness, and health journalist who has held senior editorial positions at Runner’s World and Running Times. Much of his writing translates sport science research and elite best practices into practical guidance for everyday athletes. He is the author or coauthor of several running books, including Amazing Runners World Show, Advanced Marathoning, and Women’s 10,000 meters. Scott has also written about running for Slate, The Atlantic, the Washington Post, and other members of the sedentary media. His lifetime running odometer is past 110,000 miles, but he’s as much in love as ever.
