U.S. Olympic Committee, NBC Sports Group announce schedule for 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials coverage

The United States Olympic Committee and the NBC Sports Group today announced the television schedule for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. A record 67½ hours of event coverage - 43 on NBC Sports Network and 24½ on NBC - will feature 10 sports, including live primetime coverage of trials for diving, swimming, gymnastics and track & field, as well as events for water polo and field hockey.

Trials coverage begins on Sunday, April 22, on NBC Sports Network with wrestling competition from Iowa City, Iowa, and concludes on Sunday, July 8, with the U.S Women's Water Polo Olympic Team taking on the Chinese Olympic Team.

The 67½ hours of coverage on NBC and NBC Sports Network marks the most ever for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, topping the 49 hours of trials coverage in 2008 and 40½ hours in 2004. Additionally, NBC Sports Network and Universal Sports will re-air a combined 117 hours of trials coverage (74 hours on NBC Sports Network and 43 hours on Universal Sports).

"We are thrilled to present a record number of hours of Olympic Trials on NBC and NBC Sports Network - which will serve as the home of Team USA during the London Games" said Gary Zenkel, President, NBC Olympics. "Our extensive coverage gives fans a head start to follow the U.S. Olympians as they prepare for London 2012."

"Over the next 100 days, America's best athletes will compete for a place on the U.S. Olympic Team, providing fans of Olympic sport with inspiring performances and stories ahead of the London Games," said Scott Blackmun, chief executive officer, USOC. "NBC is a great partner to the Olympic Movement and NBC Sports Group's commitment to broadcasting the U.S. Olympic Team Trials will help build interest in the London 2012 Olympic Games while introducing Americans to the athletes who will represent the United States as members of the U.S. Olympic Team this summer."

Olympic Trials coverage highlights:

47 hours of LIVE trials coverage on NBC and NBC Sports Network including 15½ on NBC in primetime

For the first time, every night of the swimming trials live in primetime on NBC

Sunday, July 1: four hours of live primetime track & field, swimming and gymnastics coverage on NBC

About the USOC

Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., the U.S. Olympic Committee serves as both the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States. As such, the USOC is responsible for the training, entering and funding of U.S. teams for the Olympic, Paralympic, Youth Olympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games, while serving as a steward of the Olympic and Paralympic Movements throughout the country. For more information, visit TeamUSA.org.

About NBC Olympics

A division of the NBC Sports Group, NBC Olympics is responsible for producing, programming and promoting NBCUniversal's Olympic coverage. It is renowned for its unsurpassed Olympic heritage, award-winning production, and ability to aggregate the largest audiences in U.S. television history.

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