Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR’s Saturday morning newsletter, The Weekender. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
Boston is a city that loves its sports stars. And we have more than a few to root for over the next few weeks at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Twenty athletes from Massachusetts will represent four different nations across 14 sporting categories at the Summer Games. That’s without including three members of the Boston Celtics — Jrue Holiday, Jayson Tatum and Derrick White — who will be suiting up for Team USA, hot off last month’s NBA championship.
While you watch your favorite events, here are some local names to look out for (and when and where to tune in to see them in action).
Gymnastics
Who: Frederick Richard (Stoughton) and Stephen Nedoroscik (Worcester)
When: Both Bay Staters are competing for Team USA in men’s qualifying events Saturday, July 27 starting at 5 a.m. on Peacock and NBC. Richard also has high hopes to earn a medal in the all-round final Wednesday, July 30 (11:30 a.m. on NBC). Here’s hoping he doesn’t receive any distracting texts mid-flip.
Who: Miles Robinson (Arlington)
When: Robinson will anchor Team USA’s defense, as one of the three senior members of the under-23 team. After a loss to France this past Wednesday, the team will play their second group stage game Saturday, July 27 against New Zealand (1 p.m. on USA and Peacock). Their third game is against Guinea on Tuesday, July 30. Find their game schedule here.
Rowing
Who: Daisy Mazzio-Manson (Wellesley), Regina Salmons (Methuen), Kristi Wagner (Weston) and Margaret Hedeman (Concord)
When: Mazzio-Manson and Wagner will make their first splash for Team USA on Sunday in the women’s four heats (6:30 a.m. on Peacock) and women’s double sculls (6 a.m. on Peacock) respectively. Meanwhile, Hedeman and Salmons will make their first appearance in the women’s eight heats on Monday, July 29 (6 a.m. on Peacock).
Who: Henry Hollingsworth (Dover) and Dara Alizadeh (Brookline)
When: Alizadeh, a Massachusetts native who now lives in the United Kingdom, rows in the men’s single sculls Saturday, July 27, representing his mother’s home nation of Bermuda (3 a.m. on Peacock). Hollingsworth will compete for Team USA in the men’s eight heats on Monday, July 29 (5:40 a.m. on Peacock).
Who: Madison Hughes (Lancaster)
When: The Dartmouth College alum made his third Olympic appearance, playing fullback for Team USA’s rugby sevens squad. (The team made it to the quarterfinals, before losing to Australia.)
Who: Kristi Kirshe (Franklin)
When: Kirshe, a former Williams College soccer player, starts pool play with Team USA’s women’s team Sunday, July 28 against Japan (10:30 a.m. on Peacock and CNBC). Check out the full schedule here.
Field hockey
Who: Alexandra Hammel (Duxbury)
When: A Boston University alum, Hammel is set to play in five women’s field hockey matches with Team USA from July 27 to Aug. 3. You can watch their first match against Argentina Saturday, July 27 (1:45 p.m. on Peacock and CNBC). Find their game schedule here.
Fencing
Who: Eli Dershwitz (Boston)
When: Dershwitz will make his third Olympic appearance for Team USA in the men’s individual and team sabre fencing events, the earliest of which begin on Saturday, July 27 (4 a.m. on Peacock). More here.
Archery
Who: Jennifer Mucino-Fernandez (Boston)
When: Mucino-Fernandez will compete for Team USA in individual and mixed team archery tournaments this Sunday, July 28 (3:30 a.m. on Peacock and CNBC).
Who: Zuri Ferguson (Attleboro)
When: The 17-year-old rising senior at Attleboro High School will compete for Trinidad and Tobago in this year’s Olympics. The young swimmer is set to make a splash Monday July 29 during the women’s 100-meter backstroke event (5 a.m. on Peacock).
Who: Ruby Remati of Andover
When: Synchronized swimmer Remati will compete with Team USA during the artistic swimming events during the second week of the Olympics. The first competition begins Aug. 5 (1:30 p.m. on Peacock).
Triathlon
Who: Kirsten Kasper of North Andover
When: Kasper will swim, bike and run in the women’s individual triathlon on July 31 (2 a.m. on Peacock and USA).
Shooting
Who: Ada Korkhin of Brookline
When: The 19-year-old Korkhin will be firing shots in the 25-meter women’s pistol qualifyiers on Aug. 1. If she makes it to the final, you can watch her compete on Aug. 3 (11:45 a.m. on CNBC and Peacock).
Who: Gabby Thomas (Northampton)
When: The two-time Olympic medalist and Harvard graduate will look to add more title to her resume in the women’s 200-meter race on Aug. 4. (4 a.m. on Peacock).
Skateboarding
Who: Andy Macdonald (Melrose)
When: Though Macdonald’s Massachusetts ties run deep (he was born in Melrose and graduated from Newton North High School), the 50-year-old pro skater will actually be competing for Great Britain in the men’s park events on Aug. 7. (6:30 a.m. on Peacock and USA).
P.S. — Last but not least, we’ve also got four Paralympians with Massachusetts ties competing this year: Emilie Eldracher of Andover, Alex Flynn of Danvers, Saige Harper of Easthampton and Leanne Smith of Salem. Eldracher, Flynn and Harper are all para rowing athletes. You can check them out during the PR3 mixed cox fours at the Paralympic Games from Aug. 30 – Sept. 1. Smith, a silver medalist para swimmer, will compete from Aug. 29 – Sept. 7.
Sign up for the WBUR Weekender
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
Copyright 2024 WBUR