NBC Olympics Announces Commentators For 2016 Rio Paralympic Games

Carolyn Manno leads an experienced roster of commentators as NBC Olympics presents more than 70 hours of coverage of the 2016 Paralympic Games from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, across NBC, NBCSN, and the NBC Sports app.

NBC Olympics’ coverage of the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games begins Wednesday, September 7, at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with the Opening Ceremony.

Manno, who returns for her second consecutive assignment as host of NBC Olympics’ coverage of the Paralympic Games, will be joined by 13 play-by-play commentators, analysts and reporters.

Play-by-play commentators Todd Harris, Jason Knapp and Steve Schlanger will also return for their second Paralympic Games and will call Track & Field, Swimming and Wheelchair Basketball, respectively. Ed Cohen makes his NBC Olympics debut and will serve as play-by-play announcer for coverage of Wheelchair Rugby.

In addition, three Paralympians will make their debut as NBC Olympics analysts. Three-time paralympic gold medalist Justin Zook will join Knapp for coverage of Swimming, 2012 Paralympian Katy Sullivan will join Harris for Track & Field, and two-time paralympic medalist Paul Schulte will join Schlanger for Wheelchair Basketball.

13-time paralympic medalist and Paralympic Hall of Fame member Chris Waddell (Track & Field), as well as former U.S. Quad Rugby Association President Gary Pate (Wheelchair Rugby), and two-time Olympian Kevin Barnett (Sitting Volleyball), will also serve as analysts.

Paralympic medalist Amy Purdy, Heather Cox and Lewis Johnson will serve as reporters for individual sports as well as the overall event. The 2016 Rio Paralympic Games will be Johnson’s second Paralympic Games for NBC Olympics, and first for Purdy and Cox.

SPORT-BY-SPORT RUNDOWN:

TRACK & FIELD:

Todd Harris, Play-by-Play

Katy Sullivan, Analyst

Chris Waddell, Analyst

Lewis Johnson, Reporter

SWIMMING:

Jason Knapp, Play-by-Play

Justin Zook, Analyst

Heather Cox, Reporter

WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL:

Steve Schlanger, Play-by-Play

Paul Schulte, Analyst

Amy Purdy, Reporter

SITTING VOLLEYBALL:

Todd Harris, Play-by-Play

Kevin Barnett, Analyst

WHEELCHAIR RUGBY:

Ed Cohen, Play-by-Play

Gary Pate, Analyst

In addition to Track & Field, Swimming, Wheelchair Basketball, Sitting Volleyball and Wheelchair Rugby, NBC Olympics will also present world feed coverage of many other Rio 2016 Paralympic Games events. Coverage will be produced by OBS and will include the sports of Cycling, Judo, Football, Powerlifting, Wheelchair Tennis, and more. World feed coverage of select events will feature OBS commentators.

NBC Olympics will combine to present more than 70 hours of coverage of the Rio Paralympic Games across NBC, NBCSN, and the NBC Sports app. Coverage of the 2016 Games will feature an increase of 20 hours from NBC Olympics’ presentation of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games (50), and an increase of 64 hours from the London 2012 Paralympic Games (6).

Coverage begins on Wednesday, September 7, and concludes on Sunday, September 18, with the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, respectively. On most days, NBCSN primetime programming will air from 7 - 9 p.m. ET; daytime from 2 – 5 p.m. ET; and late night from 1 – 5 a.m. ET.

In addition to NBC Sports Group’s unprecedented coverage, the USOC will provide live online coverage at TeamUSA.org.

For more information, please contact:

Alex Rozis

Tel: 203-356-2785

Email: alex.rozis@nbcuni.com

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