NBC Olympics Schedule 2016: Rio Event Guide, Live Stream Info and Monday Picks
Record Olympian Michael Phelps will start his individual 2016 Summer Olympics campaign with the men's 200-metres butterfly event on Monday, as NBC Sports' live coverage of the Games from Rio de Janeiro continues.
Phelps has already grabbed his first medal as part of the USA's 4x100-metres freestyle relay team, and he'll have even more chances to add to his tally in several individual events. The first final, the men's 200-metres butterfly, will take place on Tuesday.
Elsewhere, the U.S. women's volleyball team will take on the Netherlands in a preliminary match, and fencing star Mariel Zagunis will open the hunt for a third gold medal.
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Here's a look at Monday's top events, with the action kicking off at 1:30 p.m. ET. For the full schedule, visit NBC Sports' official website:
| 2 p.m. | Women's Sabre Fencing |
| 3 p.m. | Australia vs. USA |
| 3:20 p.m. | Men's Water Polo: Italy vs. France |
| 4:40 p.m. | Men's Water Polo: USA vs. Spain |
| 6 p.m. | Swimming (200m Freestyle, Individual Medley, Butterfly) |
| 7: 15 p.m. | Men's Basketball: Serbia vs. Australia |
| 8 p.m. | Shooting: Men's Trap Final |
| 9 p.m. | Women's Sabre Fencing |
| 10:30 p.m. | Women's Rugby Sevens Medal and Placing Matches |
| 12 a.m. | Men's Basketball: USA vs. Venezuela |
| 3 a.m. | Swimming (Semi-Finals, Finals) |
Live Stream: NBC Sports Live app.
Monday Picks
Men's 200-Metres Butterfly Prelims, Semi-Final
With 19 gold medals and 23 total medals already under his belt, Phelps ranks among the greatest Olympians to have ever lived, and he'll be must-watch television on Monday. The 31-year-old is competing at the Olympics for the last time, and as he's only taking part in three individual events, chances to watch Phelps will be less than normal.
Phelps could participate in up to six total events, and if the U.S. want to keep their dominant streak in the relay events alive, he might have to. The Olympic debutants failed to put up sharp times during the trials, and while Phelps and Ryan Lochte are expected to grab some hardware, there are serious question marks elsewhere.
Per Jon Street of the Blaze, his split in the 4x100-metres final was the fastest of his career and gave the team a big lead over the field, a clear sign of his importance to the relay teams.
As shared by Sportingintelligence, Phelps has already amassed a ludicrous amount of gold medals entering the 2016 Games:
There's little doubt he'll add to his impressive tally, and one has to assume he would love to at least cross the 20-gold-medal mark.
Women's Individual Sabre Fencing Semi-Finals, Finals
Zagunis already has two gold medals under her belt, winning in Athens and Beijing. The 2012 Olympics did not go her way, as she lost both of her contests and ended up outside of the medals, but the 31-year-old is back in form and once again has her eyes on gold.
She took the gold medal in the Athens World Cup event earlier this year, bouncing back after a ninth-place finish at last year's Senior World Championships. The former flag bearer didn't hide her ambitions on Twitter:
She won't be the only U.S. fencing star to steal the spotlight on Monday, as team-mate Ibtihaj Muhammad will become the first athlete to represent the nation wearing a hijab, per ESPN.com. Muhammad isn't expected to medal in the individual competition, but a strong showing, paired with Zagunis' form, could lead to some unexpected success in the team event.
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