When does it all get going?
It all starts on Friday night, and finishes on 21 August, although if you are based in Europe or further east then you will have to wait until the end of the evening for the opening ceremony, which is scheduled for 8pm local time. That means a midnight start in London – and the four-hour time difference is one to hard-wire into yourself over the next couple of weeks. So get the snacks in and hope for a spectacle as gripping as Danny Boyle’s London 2012 spectacular – although this year’s offering may have to get creative, as it only has a tenth of the budget.
How can I watch?
If you are in the UK then the BBC’s coverage will provide something close enough to immersion. It promises more than 3,000 hours of coverage across its various platforms, 550 of them broadcast on BBC One and BBC Four. So that you can tailor your own Olympic experience, there will be up to 24 HD streams on the BBC Sport website, app and red button, delivering different events to viewers’ screens at any one time.
For those in the US, NBC will be covering the Games on television and online, with the added benefit of more favourable time differences. Channel Seven is Australia’s official broadcaster, with Sydney operating 13 hours ahead of Rio.
So the BBC’s coverage is non-stop?
Virtually. BBC One and BBC Four will both screen live action daily from 1pm to 4am. Which at least gives a little time for a lie-in.
What if I just want a quick, sharp round-up of everything that happened while I was asleep?
That can be done. The Beeb will make a downloadable “Olympics Playlist” catch-up programme available every morning on iPlayer, while as part of a comprehensive radio offering from Radio 5 Live the 30-minute “Olympic Breakfast” round-up can be downloaded daily, too.
Can I expect insightful, informed pundits?
There will certainly be a wealth of Olympic experience pouring forth. Among those providing analysis will be Steve Redgrave, Chris Hoy, Michael Johnson, Denise Lewis, Victoria Pendleton, Beth Tweddle, Rebecca Adlington, Darren Campbell and Anthony Joshua. Expect well-formed opinions and, every now and then, some visible partisanship.
That’s all very well, but what will the Guardian be offering me during the Games?
Unrivalled wall-to-wall coverage, of course. We will be producing a dedicated daily print supplement throughout the Games, packed with the work of a 13-strong editorial team who will be based in Rio for the duration. Owen Gibson, Barney Ronay, Andy Bull, Barry Glendenning, Sean Ingle and Emma John will be among those reporting from Brazil. There will be plenty more online and on top of that, just so that you don’t miss a single thing, our 24/7 live blog will run from the beginning right through to the very end – and you’re encouraged to get involved as much as you like.
I need the glint of gold medals to get me in the mood. When will the first one be dished out?
It’s not an exact science but, if all goes according to plan, the women’s 10m air rifle final should be done and dusted by mid-afternoon on 6 August – with the medal ceremony following promptly.
I’m purely about the big hitters, so let’s cut to the chase here. When and how can I see Usain Bolt?
The men’s 100m heats are due to take place at the Maracanã on the morning of Saturday, 13 August – so during the afternoon in the UK – with the semi-final and final to take place late the following day. For the latter, you’ll need to tune in from about 12.20am on the Monday morning, with Bolt’s likely triumph all done and dusted by roughly 2.30am. Should the 200m be more your bag, things are a little bit more spread out. The heats are scheduled for the morning of Tuesday 16 August, while you’ll need to dose up on caffeine again for the semi-finals and final on the subsequent two nights.
What about British hopes? Who should I set my alarm for?
Mo Farah’s 5,000m and 10,000m finals will be unmissable. The latter takes place on 13 August – or around 1am the following morning for fans at home – with the former at a similar hour a week later. Jessica Ennis-Hill and Katarina Johnson-Thompson will compete over 12-13 August in the heptathlon, which will conclude with the 800m shortly after Farah’s 10,000m final. If you like a sure thing, rowers Helen Glover and Heather Stanning are hot favourites in the women’s coxless pairs – with the final scheduled for shortly after lunch on 12 August. Swimming fans will not want to miss Adam Peaty’s tilt at 100m breaststroke gold, but you will need to be dedicated – for those in the UK the final is set for the early hours of 8 August.
