NBC Olympics to have record 170 commentators for Rio Games

By Nick ZaccardiJul 5, 2016, 1:45 PM EDT

NBC

NBC Olympics will have 170 commentators for the Rio Games, a record amount for a single Olympics.

The commentators will spread across NBC, NBCSN, Bravo, CNBC, Golf Channel, MSNBC, USA Network, Telemundo, NBC Universo, the NBC Sports app, and NBCOlympics.com.

Bob Costas will host primetime for an 11th time. Al Michaels will host daytime on NBC, Ryan Seacrest will host late night, and Dan Patrick, Rebecca Lowe, Carolyn Manno and Liam McHugh will also serve as hosts.

TODAY’s Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira and Hoda Kotb will host the Opening Ceremony on Aug. 5.

The roster of 170 (some still to be announced) includes Olympians who won a combined 59 medals. The Olympian with the most medals is actually a Winter Olympian, eight-time short track speed skating medalist Apolo Ohno.

A list of commentators by sport:

Archery
Rick McKinney, Analyst*

Badminton
Jim Kozimor, Play-by-Play*
Charmaine Reid, Analyst*

Basketball
Marv Albert, Play-by-Play (Men’s)
Marc Zumoff, Play-by-Play (Women’s)
Doug Collins, Analyst (Men’s)
Ann Meyers, Analyst (Women’s)
Craig Sager, Reporter
Ros Gold-Onwude, Reporter
Mike Gorman, Play-by-Play*
David Feldman, Play-by-Play
Fran Fraschilla, Analyst (Men’s)*
Swin Cash, Analyst (Women’s)*

Beach Volleyball
Chris Marlowe, Play-by-Play
Jason Knapp, Play-by-Play
Kevin Wong, Analyst
Dain Blanton, Analyst
Kathryn Tappen, Reporter

Boxing
Kenny Rice, Play-by-Play*
B.J. Flores, Analyst*
Chris Mannix, Reporter

Canoeing (Flat Water)
Leigh Diffey, Play-by-Play
Eric Giddens, Analyst*

Canoeing (White Water)
Eric Giddens, Analyst

Cycling
Paul Sherwen, Play-by-Play
Christian Vande Velde, Analyst
Jamie Bestwick, Analyst (BMX/mountain bike)*
Steve Porino, Reporter

Diving
Ted Robinson, Play-by-Play
Cynthia Potter, Analyst
Laura Wilkinson, Analyst & Reporter
Kelli Stavast, Reporter

Equestrian
Randy Moss, Play-by-Play*
Melanie Smith-Taylor, Analyst*

Fencing
Jeff Bukantz, Analyst*

Field Hockey
Mike Corey, Play-by-Play*
AJ Mleczko, Analyst*

Golf
Terry Gannon, Play-by-Play
Steve Sands, Play-by-Play & Reporter
Johnny Miller, 18th Tower (Men’s)
Nick Faldo, 18th Tower (Men’s)
Annika Sorenstam, 18th Tower (Women’s)
Judy Rankin, 18th Tower (Women’s)
David Feherty, Outer Tower (Men’s)
Karen Stupples, Outer Tower (Women’s)
Tom Abbott, Reporter
Kay Cockerill, Reporter
Curt Byrum, Reporter
Peter Jacobsen, Reporter
Roger Maltbie, Reporter
Jerry Foltz, Reporter
Rich Lerner, Studio Host
Todd Lewis, Studio Host

Gymnastics
Al Trautwig, Play-by-play
Tim Daggett, Analyst
Nastia Liukin, Analyst
Andrea Joyce, Reporter

Handball
Chris Carrino, Play-by-Play*
Dawn Lewis, Analyst*

Volleyball
Paul Sunderland, Play-by-Play
Kevin Barnett, Analyst

Judo
Leo White, Analyst*

Modern Pentathlon
Eli Bremer, Analyst*

Rowing
Leigh Diffey, Play-by-Play
Mary Whipple, Analyst

Rugby
Bill Seward, Play-by-Play*
Brian Hightower, Analyst*
Tracy Wilson, Reporter

Sailing
Gary Jobson, Play-by-Play*
Randy Smyth, Analyst*

Shooting
Shari LeGate, Analyst*

Soccer
Arlo White, Play-by-Play
Kate Markgraf, Women’s Analyst
Sebastian Salazar, Reporter
Steve Bower, Play-by-Play*
Steve Cangialosi, Play-by-Play*
Mark Followill, Play-by-Play*
Robbie Earle, Analyst*
Stuart Holden, Analyst*
Kyle Martino, Analyst (Men’s)*
Robbie Mustoe, Analyst*
Danielle Slaton, Analyst (Women’s)*
Aly Wagner, Analyst (Women’s)*

Swimming
Dan Hicks, Play-by-Play
Rowdy Gaines, Analyst
Michele Tafoya, Reporter

Synchronized Swimming
Heather Olson, Analyst*

Table Tennis
Ari Wolfe, Play-by-Play*
Sean O’Neill, Play-by-Play*

Taekwondo
Pat Croce, Analyst*

Tennis
Dave Briggs, Host*
Brett Haber, Host*
Andrew Catalon, Play-by-Play*
Steve Weissman, Play-by-Play*
Paul Annacone, Analyst*
James Blake, Analyst*
Rennae Stubbs, Analyst*
Jon Wertheim, Studio Analyst*
Trenni Kusnierek, Reporter

Track and Field
Tom Hammond, Play-by-play
Todd Harris, Play-by-Play (field events)
Kenny Albert, Play-by-Play, NBCSN
Ato Boldon, Analyst
Craig Masback, Analyst
Tim Hutchings, Analyst
Lewis Johnson, Reporter
Chris Maddocks, Analyst* (race walks)

Triathlon
Al Trautwig, Play-by-Play
Julie Swail, Analyst
Steve Porino, Reporter

Water Polo
Paul Burmeister, Play-by-Play
Julie Swail, Analyst
Wolf Wigo, Analyst
Pierre McGuire, Reporter

Weightlifting
Ed Cohen, Play-by-Play*
Shane Hamman, Analyst*

Wrestling
Jason Knapp, Play-by-Play
John Smith, Analyst

Multiple Sports
Steve Schlanger, Play-by-Play*
Bill Doleman, Play-by-Play*
JB Long, Play-by-Play*

4K Ultra HD
Bill Spaulding, Play-by-Play*
Rich Burk, Play-by-Play*
Rob Vermillion, Track and Field Analyst*
Brendan Hansen, Swimming Analyst*
Brian Scalabrine, Basketball Analyst*

Hosts, Correspondents and Reporters:

Primetime
Bob Costas, NBC

Daytime
Al Michaels, NBC
Dan Patrick, NBC & NBCSN
Rebecca Lowe, NBC & NBCSN
Liam McHugh, NBCSN
Carolyn Manno, NBCSN

Late Night
Ryan Seacrest, Host

Correspondents
Mary Carillo
David Feherty
Bela Karolyi
Hoda Kotb
Tara Lipinski
Jimmy Roberts
Johnny Weir

Opening Ceremony
Matt Lauer
Meredith Vieira
Hoda Kotb

Reporters
Jac Collinsworth
Dalen Cuff
Alex Flanagan
Jill Martin
Craig Melvin
Apolo Ohno
Gadi Schwartz
Anne Thompson
Rutledge Wood

CNBC, MSNBC, USA
Ahmed Fareed, USA Network*
Fred Roggin, CNBC*
Rob Simmelkjaer, MSNBC*

Golf Channel
Notah Begay**
Ryan Burr**
Brandel Chamblee**
David Duval**
Jim Gallagher Jr.**
Paige Mackenzie**
Frank Nobilo**
Arron Oberholser**
Tim Rosaforte**
Kelly Tilghman**

NBC Sports Digital
Jenna Corrado* (Update Desk)
Julie Donaldson* (Update Desk)
Jonathan Horton, Gymnastics Analyst*
Andrew Siciliano, Host*
Jim Watson, Play-by-Play*
Tanith White, Host*
Samantha Peszek, Gymnastics Reporter
Jeremy Bloom, Reporter
Courtney Kupets, Gymnastics Analyst*

*Based at NBC Sports Group’s International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn.
**Based at Golf Channel in Orlando, Fla.

MORE: NBCUniversal set for unprecedented 6,755 Olympic programming hours

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At the French Open, a Ukrainian mom makes her comeback

By OlympicTalkMay 31, 2023, 5:15 PM EDT

Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, once the world’s third-ranked tennis player, is into the French Open third round in her first major tournament since childbirth.

Svitolina, 28, swept 2022 French Open semifinalist Martina Trevisan of Italy, then beat Australian qualifier Storm Hunter 2-6, 6-3, 6-1 to reach the last 32 at Roland Garros. She next plays 56th-ranked Russian Anna Blinkova, who took out the top French player, fifth seed Caroline Garcia, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 on her ninth match point.

Svitolina’s husband, French player Gael Monfils, finished his first-round five-set win after midnight on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. She watched that match on a computer before going to sleep ahead of her 11 a.m. start Wednesday.

“This morning, he told me, ‘I’m coming to your match, so make it worth it,'” she joked on Tennis Channel. “I was like, OK, no pressure.

“I don’t know what he’s doing here now. He should be resting.”

Also Wednesday, 108th-ranked Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis ousted three-time major champion Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-3 in four and a half hours. Wawrinka’s exit leaves Novak Djokovic as the lone man in the draw who has won the French Open and Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz as the lone men left who have won any major.

The top seed Alcaraz beat 112th-ranked Taro Daniel of Japan 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2. The Spaniard gets 26th seed Denis Shapovalov of Canada in the third round. Djokovic, the No. 3 seed, swept 83rd-ranked Hungarian Marton Fucsovics 7-6 (2), 6-0, 6-3 to reach a third-round date with 29th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain.

FRENCH OPEN DRAWS: Women | Men | Broadcast Schedule

Svitolina made at least one major quarterfinal every year from 2017 through 2021, including the semifinals at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2019. She married Monfils one week before the Tokyo Olympics, then won a singles bronze medal.

Svitolina played her last match before maternity leave on March 24, 2022, one month after Russia invaded her country. She gave birth to daughter Skai on Oct. 15.

Svitolina returned to competition in April. Last week, she won the tournament preceding the French Open, sweeping Blinkova to improve to 17-3 in her career in finals. She’s playing on a protected ranking of 27th after her year absence and, now, on a seven-match win streak.

“It was always in my head the plan to come back, but I didn’t put any pressure on myself, because obviously with the war going on, with the pregnancy, you never know how complicated it will go,” she said. “I’m as strong as I was before, maybe even stronger, because I feel that I can handle the work that I do off the court, and match by match I’m getting better. Also mentally, because mental can influence your physicality, as well.”

Svitolina said she’s motivated by goals to attain before she retires from the sport and to help Ukraine, such as donating her prize money from last week’s title in Strasbourg.

“These moments bring joy to people of Ukraine, to the kids as well, the kids who loved to play tennis before the war, and now maybe they don’t have the opportunity,” she said. “But these moments that can motivate them to look on the bright side and see these good moments and enjoy themselves as much as they can in this horrible situation.”

Svitolina was born in Odesa and has lived in Kharkiv, two cities that have been attacked by Russia.

“I talk a lot with my friends, with my family back in Ukraine, and it’s a horrible thing, but they are used to it now,” she said. “They are used to the alarms that are on. As soon as they hear something, they go to the bomb shelters. Sleepless nights. You know, it’s a terrible thing, but they tell me that now it’s a part of their life, which is very, very sad.”

Svitolina noted that she plays with a flag next to her name — unlike the Russians and Belarusians, who are allowed to play as neutral athletes.

“When I step on the court, I just try to think about the fighting spirit that all of us Ukrainians have and how Ukrainians are fighting for their values, for their freedom in Ukraine,” she said, “and me, I’m fighting here on my own front line.”

Svitolina said that she’s noticed “a lot of rubbish” concerning how tennis is reacting to the war.

“We have to focus on what the main point of what is going on,” she said. “Ukrainian people need help and need support. We are focusing on so many things like empty words, empty things that are not helping the situation, not helping anything.

“I want to invite everyone to focus on helping Ukrainians. That’s the main point of this, to help kids, to help women who lost their husbands because they are at the war, and they are fighting for Ukraine.

“You can donate. Couple of dollars might help and save lives. Or donate your time to something to help people.”

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2023 French Open women’s singles draw, scores

By OlympicTalkMay 31, 2023, 5:10 PM EDT

At the French Open, Iga Swiatek of Poland eyes a third title at Roland Garros and a fourth Grand Slam singles crown overall.

The tournament airs live on NBC Sports, Peacock and Tennis Channel through championship points in Paris.

Swiatek, the No. 1 seed from Poland, can join Serena Williams and Justine Henin as the lone women to win three or more French Opens since 2000.

Turning 22 during the tournament, she can become the youngest woman to win three French Opens since Monica Seles in 1992 and the youngest woman to win four Slams overall since Williams in 2002.

FRENCH OPEN: Broadcast Schedule | Men’s Draw

But Swiatek is not as dominant as in 2022, when she went 16-0 in the spring clay season during an overall 37-match win streak.

She retired from her last pre-French Open match with a right thigh injury and said it wasn’t serious. Before that, she lost the final of another clay-court tournament to Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.

Sabalenka, the No. 2 seed, and Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, the No. 4 seed and Wimbledon champion, are the top challengers in Paris.

No. 3 Jessica Pegula and No. 6 Coco Gauff, runner-up to Swiatek last year, are the best hopes to become the first American to win a Grand Slam singles title since Sofia Kenin at the 2020 Australian Open. The 11-major drought is the longest for U.S. women since Seles won the 1996 Australian Open.

MORE: All you need to know for 2023 French Open

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2023 French Open Women’s Singles Draw

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