The excitement for the 2024 Olympic Gymnastics is reaching its peak as the world’s best gymnasts prepare to showcase their talents in Paris. Among the highlights, Simone Biles and Team USA are poised to capture global attention with their pursuit of gold. In this comprehensive guide, we delve into how to watch Olympic gymnastics, detailed schedules, and the key athletes to keep an eye on.
Olympic Gymnastics 2024: Key Highlights and Athletes
Simone Biles’ Historic Quest
Simone Biles is set to make history once again. She has the opportunity to become the first woman since 1968 to win the Olympic all-around title twice and only the third woman to achieve this feat. Biles dominated the 2016 Rio Olympics, winning four gold medals in the all-around, vault, floor exercise, and team competitions. Although she encountered challenges in the 2020 Tokyo Games, securing a silver in the team competition and a bronze on the balance beam, her return to the Olympic stage in Paris is highly anticipated.
Team USA’s Medal Prospects
Both the US men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics teams have strong chances to medal in Paris. On the women’s side, alongside Biles, the team includes Sunisa Lee, Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, and Hezly Rivera. Lee, the 2020 Tokyo all-around champion, is expected to deliver outstanding performances. Carey, the floor exercise gold medalist from Tokyo, and Chiles, who won silver in the team competition, are also key contributors. Rivera, at just 16 years old, represents the future of US gymnastics.
For the men, Frederick Richard is a standout. The 20-year-old University of Michigan sophomore and TikTok star is anticipated to be a breakout performer in Paris. His strongest events—floor exercise, parallel bars, and high bar—make him a strong contender for multiple medals. Joining him are Asher Hong, Paul Juda, Brody Malone, and Stephen Nedoroscik, all of whom bring formidable skills to the competition.
Comprehensive Viewing Guide
Where to Watch Olympic Gymnastics
For US viewers, Peacock is the premier streaming service for the 2024 Olympic Games. Despite a recent price increase from $6 to $8 per month, Peacock remains one of the most affordable options. With it, you can watch any event live. NBC states that Peacock will stream 5,000 hours of live coverage, including all 329 medal events and every gymnastics event for both men and women.
In addition to live streaming, Peacock offers the Gold Zone show, which runs from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET (4 a.m. to 2 p.m. PT) daily. This whip-around show allows you to follow multiple events, with on-screen prompts to stay with an event or follow Gold Zone’s coverage. Peacock also provides four multiview options to watch up to four events simultaneously. NBC’s nightly Primetime in Paris show and a daily recap hosted by AI Al Michaels are also available on Peacock.
Broadcast Channels
If you prefer traditional TV, the Olympics will be broadcast across NBC’s family of channels—NBC, USA Network, E!, CNBC, and Golf Channel. These channels are accessible with cable or satellite TV or a live TV streaming service. The major events, including gymnastics, will be featured prominently.
Best Live TV Streaming Services
For those without cable, several live TV streaming services offer comprehensive Olympics coverage. Sling TV is the most affordable, provided NBC is available in your market. YouTube TV, with a base plan at $73 per month, covers all five necessary channels and is highly recommended. Hulu with Live TV is another excellent option, slightly more expensive than YouTube TV but inclusive of all required channels.
Event Schedule and Time Difference
Event Schedule
The gymnastics competition begins with team qualifying on Sunday and concludes on Monday, August 5. Below is a detailed schedule of the medal events:
- Monday, July 29: Men’s team final at 11:30 a.m. ET on NBC
- Tuesday, July 30: Women’s team final at 12:15 p.m. ET on NBC
- Wednesday, July 31: Men’s all-around final at 11:30 a.m. ET on NBC
- Thursday, August 1: Women’s all-around final at 12:15 p.m. ET on NBC
- Saturday, August 3: Men’s floor exercise final at 9:30 a.m. ET on E!
- Saturday, August 3: Women’s vault final at 10:20 a.m. ET on NBC and E!
- Saturday, August 3: Men’s pommel horse final at 11:16 a.m. ET on E!
- Sunday, August 4: Men’s rings final at 9 a.m. ET on NBC
- Sunday, August 4: Women’s uneven bars final at 9:40 a.m. ET on NBC
- Sunday, August 4: Men’s vault final at 10:24 a.m. ET on NBC
- Monday, August 5: Men’s parallel bars final at 5:45 a.m. ET on E!
- Monday, August 5: Women’s balance beam final at 6:38 a.m. ET on E!
- Monday, August 5: Men’s horizontal bar final at 7:33 a.m. ET on E!
- Monday, August 5: Women’s floor exercise final at 8:23 a.m. ET on E!
Time Difference
Paris is 6 hours ahead of New York (Eastern Time), 7 hours ahead of Central Time, 8 hours ahead of Mountain Time, and 9 hours ahead of Pacific Time. This time difference means most events will be shown live in the morning and afternoon for US viewers.
Conclusion
Watching Olympic Gymnastics 2024 will be a thrilling experience as the world witnesses exceptional performances from Simone Biles, Team USA, and other top gymnasts. Whether you choose Peacock or traditional TV channels, you have plenty of options to catch every moment of the action.
