{"id":205945,"date":"2016-06-08T09:00:28","date_gmt":"2016-06-08T16:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=205945"},"modified":"2016-06-08T07:37:14","modified_gmt":"2016-06-08T14:37:14","slug":"3-ways-to-be-a-master-spectator-of-the-2016-olympic-games","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/3-ways-to-be-a-master-spectator-of-the-2016-olympic-games\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Ways to Be A Master Spectator of the 2016 Olympic Games"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Katie Willis, SwimmingWorld College Intern<\/em><\/p>\n

The Olympics is a phenomenal global event that only comes around every four years. It brings together athletes of various backgrounds and a population of immense talent for a one-of-a-kind elite competition. This upcoming Olympics is likely to be quite memorable, as the most decorated Olympian of all-time,\u00a0Michael Phelps,\u00a0<\/strong>faces his last challenge.<\/p>\n

\"michael-phelps-usa-swimming-nationals-2015

Photo Courtesy: Sue Borst<\/p><\/div>\n

And although we eagerly await the results of Olympic trials, there is still hopeful expectations for relatively newer and younger faces like Missy Franklin<\/strong>, Katie Ledecky<\/strong>, Caeleb Dressel<\/strong>, Simone Manuel<\/strong>,\u00a0Reece Whitley<\/strong>, and more.<\/p>\n

Whether or not this your first or your fifth Olympic experience, there are many ways to ensure that Rio 2016 is worthwhile.<\/p>\n

1. Know the schedule!<\/h2>\n

As we all know it’s rare to find swimming broadcast on TV, thus it would be a shame to miss out on an event of this scale. The swimming portion of the Olympics will span from August 6 to August 13.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

HEATS<\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 SEMIFINALS\/FINALS<\/h3>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
SATURDAY, AUG 6TH<\/strong><\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 400m IM<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 100m Fly<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 400m Free<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 400m IM<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 100m Breast<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 4 x 100m Free Relay<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n

SATURDAY, AUG 6TH<\/strong><\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 400m IM \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 100m Fly \u2013 Semifinal<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 400m Free \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 400m IM \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 100m Breast \u2013 Semifinal<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 4 x 100m Free Relay \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

SUNDAY, AUG 7TH<\/strong><\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 100m Back<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 200m Free<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 100m Breast<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 100m Back<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 400m Free<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 4 x 100m Free Relay<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n

SUNDAY, AUG 7TH<\/strong><\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 100m Fly \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 200m Free \u2013 Semifinal<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 100m Breast \u2013 Semifinal<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 100m Breast \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 400m Free \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 100m Back \u2013 Semifinal<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 100m Back \u2013 Semifinal<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 4 x 100m Free Relay \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

MONDAY, AUG 8TH<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Women\u2019s 200m FreeMen\u2019s 200m FlyWomen\u2019s 200m IMWomen\u2019s 200m IM<\/td>\n		MONDAY, AUG 8TH<\/strong><\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 200m Free \u2013 Semifinal<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 200m Free \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 100m Back \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 100m Back \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 100m Breast \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 200m Fly \u2013 Semifinal<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 200m IM \u2014 Semifinal<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

TUESDAY, AUG 9TH<\/strong><\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 100m Free<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 200m Fly<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 200m Breast<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n

TUESDAY, AUG 9TH<\/strong><\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 100m Free \u2013 Semifinal<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 200m Free \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 200m Fly \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 200m Fly \u2013 Semifinal<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 200m Breast \u2013 Semifinal<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 200m IM \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

WEDNESDAY, AUG 10TH<\/strong><\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 100m Free<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 200m Back<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 200m Breast<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 200m IM<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n

WEDNESDAY, AUG 10TH<\/strong><\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 200m Breast \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 100m Free \u2013 Semifinal<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 200m Back \u2013 Semifinal<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 200m Fly \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 100m Free \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 200m Breast \u2013 Semifinal<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 200m IM \u2013 Semifinal<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

THURSDAY, AUG 11TH<\/strong><\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 50m Free<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 800m Free<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 100m Fly<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 200m Back<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n

THURSDAY, AUG 11TH<\/strong><\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 50m Free \u2013 Semifinal<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 200m Breast \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 200m Back \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 200m Back \u2013 Semifinal<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 200m IM \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 100m Free \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 100m Fly \u2013 Semifinal<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

FRIDAY, AUG 12TH<\/strong><\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 50m Free<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 1500m Free<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 4 x 100m Medley Relay<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 4 x 100m Medley Relay<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n

FRIDAY, AUG 12TH<\/strong><\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 200m Back \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 100m Fly \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 800m Free \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 50m Free \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 50m Free \u2013 Semifinal<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

SATURDAY, AUG 13TH<\/strong><\/p>\n

No Preliminaries<\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n

SATURDAY, AUG 13TH<\/strong><\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 50m Free \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 1500m Free \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s 4 x 100m Medley Relay \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s 4 x 100m Medley Relay \u2013 Final<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

2. Know Your Athletes!<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Gian

Photo Courtesy: Gian Mattia Dalberto\/Lapresse<\/p><\/div>\n

It’s always a good idea to know the competitors. Acknowledging that this is a global competition means that there will be athletes coming from every corner of the earth. Study their backgrounds and learn their stories and paths to success. Putting some menial research into the degrees of talent competing will surely make race time more interesting.<\/p>\n

3. Find Ways To Be An Active Watcher!<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"crowd-cheering-duel-2015\"

Photo Courtesy: Annie Grevers<\/p><\/div>\n

And while just watching can, in its own way be enjoyable, being a more active viewer can prove to be more enthralling. Call together your relatives or any interested friends and throw an Olympic-sized party! Challenge your friends and family to some Olympic competition.<\/p>\n

For example:\u00a0Make an Olympic bracket<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mimic the bracket type system of NCAA basketball to bet on countries or even specific athletes. Face off with friends and family and see which one of you comes out on top! Making friendly bets such as this will give you specific\u00a0people to root for and make every race more engaging.<\/p>\n

But all in all just enjoy it as it is. The Olympics is extravagantly carried out. It gives us an\u00a0exhilarating motivation just by watching. We watch and we see those athletes, we hear their incredible stories, and we begin to see them as people we aspire to be.<\/p>\n