W2W4: Phelps, Bolt, tennis stars top Saturday's schedule
— -- RIO DE JANEIRO -- Saturday will likely give fans their last chance to see Michael Phelps in action at an Olympics (he said Friday he will not be competing in four years), but there are other marquee events on the schedule:
Men's relay, 10:04 p.m. ET; women's relay, 9:49 p.m. ET : During the final night of pool swimming (open-water events are scheduled Monday and Tuesday), the U.S. men look to win the 4x100-meter medley relay for the 14th time in 14 tries. The defending gold-medalist U.S. women have never finished worse than second in the same event, and they will have to battle Australia for gold. Simone Manuel will also look to pick up her second gold of the games, as she competes in the 50 freestyle final.
Men's 100-meter prelims, 11 a.m. ET; women's 100-meter final, 9:35 p.m. ET: The world will get to see Usain Bolt and Justin Gatlin for the first time on Saturday, as the men's 100 prelims get underway. Meanwhile, the women's 100 is the marquee event of the day, as Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce looks to be the first Olympian to win three straight golds in the event. Her biggest challenge will come from fellow countrywoman Elaine Thompson. And while no American has won the event since Gail Devers in 1996, English Gardner is hoping to end the drought. Tianna Bartoletta and Tori Bowie are the other U.S. contenders. Of course, all of the runners need to advance out of semifinal heats earlier in the day.
Men's semifinals, noon ET; women's final, 11 a.m. ET: The women's Olympic singles final pairs Monica Puig against Australian Open champ Angelique Kerber. If Puig wins, she'll become the first Puerto Rican to win an Olympic gold medal. No pressure. On the men's side, there are two Grand Slam-type matchups with Rafael Nadal taking on Juan Martin del Potro and defending Olympic champ Andy Murray versus Kei Nishikori.
Women's eight final, 10:06 a.m. ET; men's eight final, 10:27 a.m. ET: If you have not checked out any rowing event at an Olympics, this is the day to start. The U.S. women's eight team is one of the most dominant teams in the Olympics. They've won 10 straight world and Olympic titles. On the men's side, four University of Washington rowers -- Hans Struzyna, Rob Munn, Sam Dommer and coxswain Sam Ojserkis -- will try to help the men's eight medal in Rio.
Women's team pursuit final, 3:53 p.m. ET: The U.S. team of Sarah Hammer, Kelly Catlin, Jennifer Valente and Chloe Dygert will be one of the heavy favorites in the Velodrome. If the prelims go according to plan, the defending world champions' biggest challenge will come from Great Britain and Australia.
