Olympics Swimming Preview and TV Information for Saturday July 28 and Sunday July 29

The Olympic swimming competition began early this morning (American time) with the preliminary heats of the men’s 400 individual medley (IM).

While American Ryan Lochte safely advanced to this afternoon’s final, his teammate Michael Phelps nearly missed the cut.

Phelps won his heat but posted only the eighth best overall time. Eight swimmers qualify for the final.

So we’ll get the Phelps-Lochte showdown we’ve been looking forward to, but the reigning Olympic gold medalist and world record holder in the 400 IM will be stuck in one of the outside lanes.

The 400 IM is the first of eight events this weekend in which medals will be awarded.

This afternoon’s program also includes:

• The women’s 400 IM final, featuring American Elizabeth Beisel (who posted the best qualifying time) and Australian star Stephanie Rice;
• The men’s 400 freestyle, in which American Peter Vanderkaay, who swam the second best qualifying time, will attempt to win his first individual gold medal;
• The women’s 4 x 100 relay, a showdown between teenage phenom Missy Franklin and the U.S. team, a speedy Australian team, and the defending gold medalists from the Netherlands.

Sunday’s program begins with Missy Franklin and teammate Rachel Bootsma in women’s 100 backstroke heats.

Ryan Lochte will be back in the pool on Sunday for the 200 freestyle prelims.

Medals will be awarded Sunday afternoon in:

• The women’s 100 butterfly, featuring American Dana Vollmer, who broke the American record in the prelims;
• The women’s 400 freestyle;
• The men’s 100 breaststroke—which could be a showdown between Japan’s Kosuke Kitajima, two-time defending gold medalist, and American Brendan Hansen;
• The men’s 4 x 100 freestyle relay, which could see Michael Phelps tie Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina’s record for most overall Olympic medals.

Live results are available at the NBC Olympics website.

Before we get to the weekend’s swimming schedule, here’s the USA swimming team doing “Call Me Maybe.” (I normally have no use for “Call Me Maybe” videos, but this one made me smile. And you can’t not like Missy Franklin.)

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Saturday Morning, July 28

All times Central Daylight Time. Add one hour for Eastern time and six hours for London time.

“Qualification heats” implies that the top eight swimmers advance directly to the final. “Preliminary heats” implies that swimmers advance into a semifinal.

• 4:00 a.m. CT: Men’s 400 IM qualification heats
• 4:34 a.m. CT: Women’s 100 butterfly preliminary heats
• 4:52 a.m. CT: Men’s 400 freestyle qualification heats
• 5:17 a.m. CT: Women’s 400 IM qualification heats
• 5:53 a.m. CT: Men’s 100 breaststroke preliminary heats
• 6:11 a.m. CT: Women’s 4 x 100 freestyle relay qualification heats

Saturday Afternoon, July 28

All times Central Daylight Time. Add one hour for Eastern time and six hours for London time.

Finals (where medals will be awarded) are in bold.

• 1:30 p.m. CT: Men’s 400 IM final
• 1:40 p.m. CT: Women’s 100 butterfly semifinals
• 1:51 p.m. CT: Men’s 400 freestyle final
• 2:11 p.m. CT: Women’s 400 IM final
• 2:32 p.m. CT: Men’s 100 breaststroke semifinals
• 2:43 p.m. CT: Women’s 4 x 100 freestyle relay final

Sunday Morning, July 29

All times Central Daylight Time. Add one hour for Eastern time and six hours for London time.

“Qualification heats” implies that the top eight swimmers advance directly to the final. “Preliminary heats” implies that swimmers advance into a semifinal.

• 4:00 a.m. CT: Women’s 100 backstroke preliminary heats
• 4:20 a.m. CT: Men’s 200 freestyle preliminary heats
• 4:43 a.m. CT: Women’s 100 breaststroke preliminary heats
• 5:03 a.m. CT: Men’s 100 backstroke preliminary heats
• 5:23 a.m. CT: Women’s 400 freestyle preliminary heats
• 5:56 a.m. CT: Men’s 4 x 100 freestyle relay qualification heats

Sunday Afternoon, July 28

All times Central Daylight Time. Add one hour for Eastern time and six hours for London time.

Finals (where medals will be awarded) are in bold.

• 1:30 p.m. CT: Women’s 100 butterfly final
• 1:37 p.m. CT: Men’s 200 freestyle semifinals
• 1:50 p.m. CT: Women’s 100 breaststroke semifinals
• 2:11 p.m. CT: Men’s 100 breaststroke final
• 2:18 p.m. CT: Women’s 400 freestyle final
• 2:28 p.m. CT: Men’s 100 backstroke semifinal
• 2:49 p.m. CT: Women’s 100 backstroke semifinal
• 3:00 p.m. CT: Men’s  4 x 100 freestyle relay final

Swimming TV Schedule for Saturday July 28 and Sunday July 29

All times Central Daylight Time. Add one hour for Eastern time and six hours for London time.

Additional programming is available online at the NBC Olympics website.

• Saturday 10:00–10:45 a.m. CT: NBC
• Saturday 12:30-1:30 p.m. CT: NBC
• Saturday 7:00-11:00 p.m. CT: NBC, as a part of NBC Primetime

• Sunday 10:00–10:45 a.m. CT: NBC
• Sunday 12:30-1:00 p.m. CT: NBC
• Sunday 6:00-11:00 p.m. CT: NBC, as a part of NBC Primetime

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