Tokyo Olympics: Thursday’s Viewing Schedule

Tokyo 2020 (NBC Sports)

Thursday marks the sixth day of competition during the Tokyo Olympics with NBC airing the Summer Olympics across a variety of networks.

Americans will again be well represented in the pool on Thursday in Tokyo with contenders in four medal events live in primetime on NBC: the women’s 200m breaststroke, men’s 200m backstroke, men’s 200m individual medley and women’s 100m freestyle. Two-time Olympic gold medalist Lilly King, who won a bronze medal in the women’s 100m breaststroke earlier this week, will be a gold medal contender alongside Annie Lazor in the women’s 200m breaststroke. Three-time Olympic gold medalist and bronze medalist in the men’s 100m backstroke in Tokyo, Ryan Murphy, aims for his second consecutive gold medal in the men’s 200m backstroke. The men’s 200m individual medley sole American in the finals is Michael Andrew.

The gymnastics women’s all-around competition, expected to feature Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Suni Lee and Jade Carey of Team USA, will be presented live Thursday morning at 6:50 a.m. ET on Peacock, and in primetime Thursday evening at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

In pursuit of a seventh consecutive gold medal, Sue BirdDiana Taurasi and the U.S. women’s basketball team face Japan in group play live at 12:40 a.m. ET (9:40 p.m. PT Thursday) on USA Network. Team USA began their Tokyo campaign with an 81-72 victory over Nigeria.

The opening track & field qualifying rounds of the Tokyo Olympics will be presented live in primetime at 8 p.m. ET on USA Network. American medal contenders Rai Benjamin (men’s 400m hurdles), Athing Mu (women’s 800m) and Ajee’ Wilson (women’s 800m) are expected to compete in the qualifiers.

What follows below is the schedule for the day for NBC, USA, CNBC, NBCSN, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, and Peacock. All Tokyo Olympics coverage will be streamed live on https://www.nbcolympics.com and the NBC Sports app. All times listed are ET unless otherwise noted.

THURSDAY, JULY 29 (DAY 6)

NBC

12 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Swimming – Qualifying Heats

Women’s Volleyball – U.S. vs. Turkey

Men’s Water Polo – U.S. vs. Italy

Rowing – Finals

Cycling – BMX Racing Quarterfinals

Slalom Canoeing – Women’s Final

8 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.

Swimming – Finals (LIVE)

  • Women’s 200m Breaststroke
  • Men’s 200m Backstroke
  • Women’s 100m Freestyle
  • Men’s 200m Individual Medley

Gymnastics – Women’s All-Around

Track & Field – Qualifying Rounds (LIVE)

  • Women’s 800m
  • Men’s 400m Hurdles
  • Women’s 100m

8:30 p.m. – 9:05 p.m. (PT)

Women’s Rugby – U.S. vs. Australia

12:05 a.m. – 2 a.m.

Track & Field – Qualifying Rounds

Cycling – BMX Racing Finals

USA NETWORK

2 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Swimming – Qualifying Heats (LIVE)

Women’s Volleyball – U.S. vs. Turkey (LIVE)

Men’s Water Polo – U.S. vs. Italy (LIVE)

Slalom Canoeing – Women’s Final (LIVE)

Women’s Rugby – Qualifying Round (LIVE)

Women’s Volleyball – Japan vs. Brazil

Women’s Beach Volleyball – Brazil vs. Canada

Men’s Beach Volleyball – Brazil vs. Netherlands

12:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Table Tennis – Men’s Semifinals

Fencing – Women’s Team Foil Final

Shooting – Women’s & Men’s Trap Final

Judo – Finals

Boxing – Elimination Rounds

Slalom Canoeing – Women’s Final

6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Men’s Basketball – Spain vs. Argentina

8 p.m.- 12:30 a.m.

Track & Field – Qualifying Rounds (LIVE)

Rowing – Finals

Archery – Women’s Elimination Round

12:40 a.m. – 2:30 a.m.

Women’s Basketball – U.S. vs. Japan (LIVE)

CNBC

2 a.m. – 5 a.m.

Fencing – Women’s Team Foil Semifinal (LIVE)

Table Tennis – Men’s Semifinals (LIVE)

Men’s Water Polo – Croatia vs. Montenegro

8 p.m. – 2 a.m.

Women’s Beach Volleyball – Ross/Klineman (U.S.) vs. Keizer/Meppelink (Netherlands) (LIVE)

Men’s Volleyball – U.S. vs. Brazil (LIVE)

Gymnastics – Women’s Trampoline Final (LIVE)

Rowing – Finals (LIVE)

Women’s Rugby – U.S. vs. Australia (LIVE)

Cycling – BMX Racing Finals (LIVE)

Badminton – Women’s Singles Quarterfinal

NBCSN

2 a.m. – 8:10 a.m.

Fencing – Women’s Team Foil Bronze Medal and Final (LIVE)

Men’s Beach Volleyball – Gibb/Bourne (U.S.) vs. Gerson/Heidrich (Switzerland)

Men’s Rugby – Bronze Medal and Final

Soccer – Men’s Qualifying Round

Badminton – Elimination Round

8:10 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Men’s Basketball – Spain vs. Argentina (LIVE)

10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Women’s Volleyball – U.S. vs. Turkey

Table Tennis – Women’s Singles Final

Women’s Handball – Montenegro vs. Norway

Badminton – Elimination Rounds

Archery – Individual Eliminations

Women’s Handball – Sweden vs. France

Women’s Volleyball – China vs. Russian Olympic Committee

Rugby – Women’s Qualifying Round

8 p.m. – 2 a.m.

Men’s Beach Volleyball – Dalhausser/Lucena (U.S.) vs. Azaad/Capogrosso (Argentina)

Women’s Volleyball – U.S. vs. Turkey

Men’s Water Polo – U.S. vs. Italy

Women’s Handball – Montenegro vs. Norway

Rugby – Women’s Qualifying Round

OLYMPIC CHANNEL: HOME OF TEAM USA

2 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Tennis (LIVE)

  • Men’s Singles and Mixed, Quarterfinals
  • Women’s Singles and Doubles, Semifinals

11 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Tennis

  • Men’s Singles and Mixed, Quarterfinals
  • Women’s Singles and Doubles, Semifinals

GOLF CHANNEL

7 a.m. – 9 a.m.

Men’s First Round

2 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Men’s First Round

6:30 p.m. – 3 a.m.

Men’s Second Round (LIVE)

PEACOCK

6:50 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. 

Women’s Gymnastics All-Around (LIVE)

TELEMUNDO

1 a.m. – 2 a.m.

Cycling – BMX Racing Quarterfinals

5:30 a.m. – 6:30 a.m.

Men’s Beach Volleyball – Perusic/Schweiner (Czech Republic) vs. Gaxiola/Rubio (Mexico)

1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Olympics Special Recap Show

UNIVERSO

8 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Men’s Basketball – Spain vs. Argentina (LIVE)

10 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Men’s Beach Volleyball – Dalhausser/Lucena (U.S.) vs. Azaad/Capogrosso (Argentina)

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Women’s Volleyball – Japan vs. Brazil

The Tokyo Olympics run July 23-August 8, 2021 and will be broadcast across the NBC broadcast, cable, and digital family of networks.

Danielle Solzman

Danielle Solzman is native of Louisville, KY, and holds a BA in Public Relations from Northern Kentucky University and a MA in Media Communications from Webster University. She roots for her beloved Kentucky Wildcats, St. Louis Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts, and Boston Celtics. Living less than a mile away from Wrigley Field in Chicago, she is an active reader (sports/entertainment/history/biographies/select fiction) and involved with the Chicago improv scene. She also sees many movies and reviews them. She has previously written for Redbird Rants, Wildcat Blue Nation, and Hidden Remote/Flicksided. From April 2016 through May 2017, her film reviews can be found on Creators.