Olympic Swimming Schedule Rio 2016: List, Times Of Events, Plus Team USA Outlook For Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky And More

All eyes may be on the track in week two, but week one of the Olympic Games is where the pool gets its moment in the limelight. And the there is not long to wait for the first medals to be given out in the swimming events in the Olympic Aquatics Stadium. The first finals in the pool will highlight the opening night of action at the Rio Games.

And it could witness the first of a historic sweep of medals for American Katie Ledecky. The Maryland-native, who will start at Stanford University in the fall, burst onto the scene four years ago in London, when as a 15-year-old she obliterated the competition in the 800-meter freestyle to take gold. Four years later she has five gold medals in her sight.

A world-record holder in both 800m and 400m freestyle, anything less than a victory for Ledecky in those events would be a major surprise. But she is confounding expectations by also threatening to take it to the competition in the shorter distance events. Set to race in the 200m freestyle and the 4x200m freestyle relay, Ledecky's pursuit of gold will begin on Saturday night.

Earlier in the day, she was a part of the United States team in the 4x100 m relay that finished second in its heat behind gold medal favorite Australia. The expectation was that Ledecky, whose participation meant she would still claim a medal whether or not she raced in the final, would drop out of the team for more of a specialist over shorter distances.

But she again showed her remarkable versatility by recording the fastest split for the U.S., giving the coaches reason to pause for thought ahead if its selection for the final, which rounds out the first day's action in the pool.

“That’s totally up to the coaches,” Ledecky said after the heat. “I have no idea what I split.”

Many have already suggested that she could be on her way to becoming the next Michael Phelps. Yet the original Michael Phelps is not done with his own remarkable Olympic story just yet. Phelps begins his fifth and final Olympics on Sunday, when he is expected to go in the United States' 4x100m freestyle relay team. Already with an incredible 18 golds to his name, the 31-year-old could potentially get six more by the time the Rio Olympics is done.

On Tuesday night, Phelps goes in the event that began his Olympic career all the way back in 2000, the 200m butterfly. And, after losing out on gold four years ago in London, he will be even more desperate to get victory this time around.

Two of the U.S. swimming stars from 2012 will also be back, although there are reduced expectations and fewer events for both Ryan Lochte and Missy Franklin.

Rio 2016 Olympics Swimming Schedule (all times EDT)
Saturday, Aug. 6
9.03 p.m.: Men's 400m individual medley final
9.14 p.m.: Women’s 100m butterfly semifinal 1
9.22 p.m.: Women’s 100m butterfly semifinal 2
9.30 p.m.: Men’s 400m freestyle final
9.49 p.m.: Women’s 400m individual medley final
10.08 p.m.: Men’s 100m backstroke semifinal 1
10.16 p.m.: Men’s 100m breaststroke semifinal 2
10.24 p.m.: Women’s 4x100m freestyle relay

Sunday, Aug. 7
12.02 p.m.: Women’s 100m backstroke heats
12.19 p.m.: Men’s 200m freestyle heats
12.55 p.m.:: Women’s 100m breaststroke heats
1.16 p.m.: Men’s 100m backstroke heats
1.33 p.m.: Women’s 400m freestyle heats
2.05 p.m.: Men’s 4x100m freestyle relay heats
9.03 p.m.: Women’s 100m butterfly final
9.11 p.m.: Men’s 200m freestyle semifinal 1
9.20 p.m.: Men’s 200m freestyle semifinal 2
9.29 p.m.: Women’s 100m breaststroke semifinal 1
9.37 p.m.: Women’s 100m breaststroke semifinal 2
9.53 p.m.: Men’s 100m breaststroke final
10.01 p.m.: Women’s 400m freestyle final
10.12 p.m.: Men’s 100m backstroke semifinal 1
10.20 p.m.: Men’s 100 backstroke semifinal 2
10.36 p.m.: Women’s 100m backstroke semifinal 1
10.44 p.m.: Women’s 100m backstroke semifinal 2
10.52 p.m.: Men’s 4x100m freestyle relay final

Monday, Aug. 8
12.02 p.m.: Women’s 200m freestyle heats
12.34 p.m.: Men’s 200m butterfly heats
12.56 p.m.: Women’s 200m individual medley heats
9.03 p.m.: Women’s 200m freestyle semifinal 1
9.12 p.m.: Women’s 200m freestyle semifinal 2
9.21 p.m.: Men’s 200m freestyle final
9.30 p.m.: Women’s 100m backstroke final
9.38 p.m.: Men’s 100m backstroke final
9.54 p.m.: Women’s 100m breaststroke final
10.10 p.m.: Men’s 200m butterfly semifinal 1
10.19 p.m.: Men’s 200m butterfly semifinal 2
10.36 p.m.: Women’s 200m individual medley semifinal 1
10.45 p.m.: Women’s 200m individual medley semifinal 2

Tuesday, Aug. 9
12.02 p.m.: Men’s 100m freestyle heats
12.28 p.m.: Women’s 200m butterfly heats
12.50 p.m.: Men’s 200m breaststroke heats
1.17 p.m.: Men’s 4x200m freestyle relay heats
9.03 p.m.: Men’s 100m freestyle semifinal 1
9.11 p.m.: Men’s 100m freestyle semifinal 2
9.19 p.m.: Women’s 200m freestyle final
9.28 p.m.: Men’s 200m butterfly final
9.37 p.m.: Women’s 200m butterfly semifinal 1
9.46 p.m.: Women’s 200m butterfly semifinal 2
10.03 p.m.: Men’s 200m breaststroke semifinal 1
10.12 p.m.: Men’s 200m breaststroke semifinal 2
10.29 p.m.: Women’s 200m individual medley final
10.38 p.m.: Men’s 4x200m freestyle relay final

Wednesday, Aug. 10
12.02 p.m.: Women’s 100m freestyle heats
12.25 p.m.: Men’s 200m backstroke heats
12.47 p.m.: Women’s 200m breaststroke heats
1.09 p.m.: Men’s 200m individual medley heats
1.31 p.m.: Women’s 4x200m freestyle relay heats
9.03 p.m.: Men’s 200m breaststroke final
9.12 p.m.: Women’s 100m freestyle semifinal 1
9.20 p.m.: Women’s 100m freestyle semifinal 2
9.28 p.m.: Men’s 200m backstroke semifinal 1
9.37 p.m.: Men’s 200m backstroke semifinal 2
9.54 p.m.: Women’s 200m butterfly final
10.03 p.m.: Men’s 100m freestyle final
10.11 p.m.: Women’s 200m breaststroke semifinal 1
10.20 p.m.: Women’s 200m breaststroke semifinal 2
10.29 p.m.: Men’s 200m individual medley semifinal 1
10.38 p.m.: Men’s 200m individual medley semifinal 2
10.55 p.m.: Women’s 4x200m freestyle relay

Thursday, Aug 11
12.02 p.m.: Men’s 50m freestyle heats
12.26 p.m.: Women’s 800m freestyle heats
1.16 p.m.: Men’s 100m butterfly heats
1.36 p.m.: Women’s 200m backstroke heats
9.03 p.m.: Men’s 50m freestyle semifinal 1
9.10 p.m.: Men’s 50m freestyle semifinal 2
9.17 p.m.: Women’s 200m breaststroke final
9.26 p.m.: Men’s 200m backstroke final
9.35 p.m.: Women’s 200m backstroke semifinal 1
9.44 p.m.: Women’s 200m backstroke semifinal 2
10.01 p.m.: Men’s 200m individual medley final
10.18 p.m.: Women’s 100m freestyle final
10.34 p.m.: Men’s 100m butterfly semifinal 1
10.42 p.m.: Men’s 100m butterfly semifinal 2

Friday, Aug. 12
12.02 p.m.: Women’s 50m freestyle heats
12.40 p.m.: Men’s 1500m freestyle heats
2.30 p.m.: Women’s 4x100m medley relay heats
2.48 p.m.: Men’s 4x100m medley relay heats
9.03 p.m.: Women’s 200m backstroke final
9.12 p.m.: Men’s 100m butterfly final
9.20 p.m.: Women’s 800m freestyle final
9.44 p.m.: Men’s 50m freestyle final
9.59 p.m.: Women’s 50m freestyle semifinal
10.06 p.m.: Women’s 50m freestyle semifinal 1

Saturday, Aug. 13
9.03 p.m.: Women’s 50m freestyle final
9.11 p.m.: Women’s 1500m freestyle final
9.49 p.m.: Women’s 4x100m medley relay final
10.04 p.m.: Men’s 4x100m medley relay final