Former Colorado high school athletes to watch in the Olympics this week
The first week of the Olympics saw a few Colorado products shining on the highest stage. That includes Valor Christian graduate Janine Beckie, the star of Canada’s women’s soccer team.
Others will get their first crack at the 2016 Games this week, most notably Missy Franklin, the 2013 Regis Jesuit graduate.
We’ve broken down when to watch each former Colorado high school athlete in this week’s Olympic events. Find a complete list of former Colorado preps in the Olympics on this page.
Monday, Aug. 8
Women’s Swimming: 200-meter freestyle prelims, 10:17 a.m. Former Regis Jesuit superstar Missy Franklin gets in the pool for the first time when the fourth heat of the 200-meter freestyle prelims get underway.
Women’s Basketball: Serbia vs. Canada, 2:15 p.m. Lewis-Palmer graduate Danielle Page (2004) had a heck of a game in Serbia’s first outing on Sunday — 14 points, five rebounds and two blocks — but the team lost to Spain. Now, they’ll look to bounce back against Canada in the second game of their group stage.
Women’s Swimming: 200-meter freestyle semifinals, 7:03 p.m. Missy Franklin is set for the semifinals following a time of 1:57.21 in the prelims. She qualified 12th.
Tuesday, Aug. 9
Men’s Rugby: United States vs. Argentina, 7 a.m. Ben Pinkelman, a 2012 alum of Cherry Creek, and the USA begin their Olympic season with their first game in Group A.
Men’s Swimming: 4×200-meter relay, 11:17 a.m. Regis Jesuit graduate Clark Smith, now a senior at the University of Texas, is among those eligible for selection in the prelims of the 4×200 relay for the United States. The final is at 8:38 p.m. on Tuesday.
Men’s Rugby: United States vs. Brazil, 12 p.m. It’s a quick turnaround for Ben Pinkelman and the U.S. rugby squad. Their second game comes shortly after their first.
Women’s Soccer: Germany vs. Canada, 1 p.m. Valor Christian alum Janine Beckie has scored three goals in two games to help the Canadians go 2-0 and secure a spot in the knockout stages. This is their final game in Group F.
Women’s Soccer: Colombia vs. United States, 4 p.m. Mallory Pugh, the 2016 graduate of Mountain Vista, and the United States look to remain unbeaten in their final match of Group G. The Americans, now 2-0, have some work left to do to secure a spot in the knockout stage. Pugh started the USA’s first game, but missed the second after tweaking her ankle in that start.
Wednesday, Aug. 10
Men’s Cycling: Individual Time Trial, 7 a.m. Fairview alum Taylor Phinney takes part in his second event of these Olympics. He did not finish in Saturday’s road race.
Men’s Rugby: Fiji vs. United States, 10:30 a.m. Cherry Creek’s Ben Pinkelman and the USA play their final game in Group A. Regardless of how they fare, another game will be played on Wednesday, be it a placing match (for ninth-12th place), or a quarterfinal.
Women’s Swimming: 4×200 relay, 11:31 a.m. Missy Franklin is among those who are eligible to be selected for the USA in the prelims. The final of the event is also on Wednesday, at 8:55 p.m.
Women’s Basketball: Serbia vs. United States, 12:30 p.m. Danielle Page, the Lewis-Palmer grad, and Serbia play in the third game of their group.
Thursday, Aug. 11
Men’s Rugby: United States vs. Spain, 10 a.m. The U.S. rugby squad (and Cherry Creek alum Ben Pinkelman) are in a placing match to determine if they will finish ninth or 10th at the Olympics.
Women’s Swimming: 200-meter backstroke prelims, 11:41 a.m. Regis Jesuit’s Missy Franklin is back again for the prelims of the 200-meter backstroke. She’s in the second heat. Franklin won gold in the event at the 2012 London Olympics. Should she qualify, the semifinals begin at 7:35 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 12
Men’s Track: Discus throw prelims, 6:30 a.m. Mason Finley, the 2009 alum of Buena Vista, makes his Olympic debut in the first round of the discus throw. Finley won the U.S. Olympic Trials.
Men’s Track: 800-meter prelims, 7:10 a.m. Boris Berian, a 2011 graduate of Widefield, hits the track for the first time in the prelims for the United States.
Women’s Basketball: Serbia vs. China, 9:15 a.m. Danielle Page (Lewis-Palmer) and Serbia play the fourth game in their Group B.
Women’s Soccer: United States vs. Sweden, 10 a.m. Mallory Pugh (Mountain Vista) scored to help the U.S. secure this spot in their final group stage game on Tuesday. Now, the squad has an early game to try and advance to the semifinals.
Women’s Soccer: Canada vs. France, 4 p.m. Janine Beckie (Valor Christian) scored two goals in Canada’s first two games of the Olympics, and was then rested as the Canadians had already secured this spot in the knockout stages. Their shot at the semifinals comes in the late afternoon.
Women’s Swimming: 200-meter backstroke final, 7:03 p.m. If Missy Franklin advances from the earlier rounds, she will swim in the final in the evening.
Saturday, Aug. 13
Women’s Track: 3000-meter steeplechase, 7:05 a.m. Emma Coburn, a 2008 graduate of Crested Butte, returns to the Olympics in the event that she reached the finals of at the 2012 Games. The prelims of the 3000 steeplechase are Saturday, with the finals awaiting Monday, should she advance.
Men’s Track: Discus throw final, 7:50 a.m. If Buena Vista’s Mason Finley advances, he will throw in Saturday’s final.
Men’s Track: 800-meter semifinals, 7:08 p.m. If Widefield’s Boris Berian advances out of the prelims, he will race in Saturday’s semifinals. The final is on Monday.
Sunday, Aug. 14
Women’s Basketball: Senegal vs. Serbia, 12:30 p.m. Lewis-Palmer’s Danielle Page and Serbia continue their schedule in Group B. Should they advance out of the group stage, the quarterfinals are on Tuesday.
