Rio 2016 Olympics: Best Events to Watch Live on Opening Weekend Schedule
Considering the entire Summer Olympics take place over about two weeks, there is no time to ease into the action. Many big events unfold right out of the gate during the opening weekend.
On Day 1 alone, medals will be awarded in cycling, shooting, archery, judo, fencing, weightlifting and swimming. The men's cycling road race will be the first medal event to kick off, but the women's 10-meter air rifle competition should be the first to give out medals in Rio de Janeiro.
Meanwhile, group play will begin and continue in most team sports such as basketball, soccer, volleyball and more.
You can view a complete schedule of Day 1 and Day 2, as well as TV listings, at NBCOlympics.com. But here is a look at the most noteworthy events to watch in the first couple of days.
Women's Soccer: USA vs. France (Saturday, 4 p.m. ET)
This is actually the second game of the tournament for the United States women's team, as they knocked off New Zealand 2-0 in its first contest Wednesday. But this matchup against France will be important.
France also won its first game with a 4-0 defeat of Colombia. Whichever team wins this next game will have a great chance of finishing first in the group.
Team USA is the reigning World Cup champion and is the heavy favorite to take home gold this month. Allison McCann of FiveThirtyEight broke down just how likely the team is to win:
According to McCann and Jay Boice, the Americans have a 38 percent of winning and a 56 percent chance of reaching the finals.
With notable players such as Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe, USA fields arguably the most talented team in the world. France has good players as well, but this should be another win for the Americans.
Men's Basketball: USA vs. China (Saturday, 6 p.m. ET)
The United States men's basketball team may not boast LeBron James, Stephen Curry or Chris Paul, but the roster has more than enough firepower to win gold once again.
Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony are the big stars this time around. The team is balanced with DeMarcus Cousins down low, Kyrie Irving on the perimeter and DeMar DeRozan knocking down mid-range jumpers.
Additionally, Team USA might be even stronger than usual, thanks to its defensive prowess. Draymond Green is a versatile forward who can guard multiple positions, while DeAndre Jordan will fill his role as an elite rim-protector. Jimmy Butler and Klay Thompson are also quality defenders who can shut down almost anyone in this tournament.
China has some good size and talent with players such as Yi Jianlian and Zhou Qi. However, it has nowhere near the guard play or depth of the Americans.
After USA beat China 106-57 in an earlier exhibition, fans should expect a similar blowout in Rio.
Women's Beach Volleyball: Jennings/Ross vs. Artacho Del Solar/Laird (Saturday, 11 p.m. ET)
Beach volleyball became an Olympic sport in 1996, but Americans didn't embrace it until Kerri Walsh and Misty May won gold for the United States in 2004. That superteam went on to dominate the sport by winning gold medals in 2008 and 2012.
Misty May-Treanor has retired, but Kerri Walsh Jennings will compete for her fourth gold medal as she approaches her 38th birthday. Her teammate just happens to be April Ross, who was part of the team that finished in second place in 2012.
It's clear this group is talented, but Walsh Jennings will have to worry about age as well as a shoulder injury that has limited her recently. Still, she explained her pairing with Ross will help her succeed, per Josh Peter of USA Today:
"When someone’s hurt, you have to step up in different ways. There’s no room for fissures or cracks or separation.
April and I are just in sync. And that to me is the most fun, when you’re taking on the world with your teammate, just full knowing — not even full faith, just full knowing — that we have the capability to kick butt and take whatever people dish out at us.
"
Taking on the Australian duo of Mariafe Artacho del Solar and Nicole Laird will be a good early test for the Americans.
Women's Gymnastics Prelims (Sunday, All Day; USA at 4:30 p.m. ET)
No medals will be dispensed in gymnastics until Monday, but the preliminary competition still holds a lot of weight.
Four years ago, Jordyn Wieber was the favorite to win the all-around gold medal after winning the event at the 2011 World Championships. Unfortunately, her fourth-place finish in qualifications took away any chance of contending in the finals, as teammates Gabby Douglas and Aly Raisman finished ahead of her. The rules stated only two competitors from each country could advance.
Douglas went on to win the all-around gold, while Raisman won the individual medal for the floor exercise.
Both athletes return to Rio, but the favorite this time around is Simone Biles. The 19-year-old was too young to compete in London, but she has since won the last three world titles. She also easily won the U.S. Olympic qualifier last month. If Biles doesn't take home individual gold this summer, it would be a major upset.
These teammates will seek to defend the United States' gold medal from 2012, but the battle for individual excellence will also be strong.
Swimming Finals (Saturday, 9 p.m. ET; Sunday, 9 p.m. ET)
Swimming is always one of the biggest sports to watch in the Olympics, with American stars such as Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte becoming household names in recent years. They are both back for their final competitions before retiring, but they will have to wait a few days to get started.
Instead, Day 1 is highlighted by the finals in the men's and women's 400-meter individual medleys. The race is one of the most grueling events in swimming. Each competitor has to finish two laps of each of the four swimming styles, which is a lot more fun to watch than try.
Sunday night will be even more interesting with the men's 4x100-meter relay, which usually creates a ton of excitement. Day 2 will also feature the first chance at gold this year for Katie Ledecky, who went from being a 2012 surprise to the best in the world at her sport.
The women's 400-meter freestyle event will take place Sunday, and it is one of the events Ledecky has dominated in the past.
Like Biles, Ledecky should easily take home the gold; any other result would be a surprise.
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