David James Bruce

Multimedia Journalist

How To Watch Us Military Members And Vets In The Olympics: A Day-by-day Viewing Guide

by | Jul 28, 2021 | Articles

Below is Coffee or Die Magazine’s guide to watching the 19 US military members and veterans competing for the US in the Tokyo Olympics. Check our day-by-day guide of when they are competing and in what events.

TV Viewing Note: NBC and its cable and online affiliates are broadcasting the Olympics. The times listed are in US Eastern Standard Time, which is 13 hours behind Tokyo. Generally, after late-night events, NBC replays or recaps events during coverage the next day on NBC, which has extensive broadcast hours during the day in the US. Other events may be covered live or replayed on NBC’s online affiliates. The streaming service Peacock has an archive of many full events.

July 28, 2:35 p.m. — Women’s Sailing 470 (Two-Person Dinghy, July 28-Aug 2)

Nikole Barnes, Coast Guard lieutenant junior grade

Hometown: St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands

Barnes will be the first US Coast Guard officer to compete in the Olympics, along with her sailing partner Lara Dallman-Weiss.

Olympics watch guide
 
Lt j.g. Nikole “Nikki” Barnes of US Coast Guard Sector Miami, right at the tiller, trains with her sailing partner Lara Dallman-Weiss for the USA Women’s 470 Summer Olympics on March 1, 2020, Miami, Fla. Photo courtesy of US Coast Guard.

 

July 29, 8:30 p.m. — 3,000-Meter Steeplechase

Benard Keter, Army specialist

Hometown: Nakuru, Kenya

Keter placed fourth in the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, and is an NJCAA 3,000-meter steeplechase national champion.

Twelve Soldiers to represent Army at Summer Olympic Games
 
Spc. Benard Keter is making his Olympic debut in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. The NJCAA champion grabbed his ticket to Tokyo after placing second at the Olympic trials during a record heat wave for the area. Photo courtesy of DVIDS.

 

July 30, 8:40 p.m. — Pole Vault

Sam Kendricks, Army first lieutenant

(UPDATE, JULY 29 – Kendricks withdrew from competition due to a positive COVID-19 test)

Hometown: Oxford, Mississippi

Kendricks won a bronze medal in the pole vault event in the 2016 Olympics.

July 31, 3 a.m. — Women’s 10-Meter Air Rifle, 50-meter Rifle, Three Positions

Sagen Maddalena, Army specialist (smallbore rifle)

Hometown: Groveland, California

Maddalena is a four-time NRA First Team All-American in air rifle.

USAMU Soldier makes Team USA
 
Spc. Sagen Maddalena, a Groveland, Calif., native and a marksmanship instructor and competitive shooter for the US Army Marksmanship Unit, earned a spot on Team USA’s women’s 50-meter smallbore team after the Olympic trials at Fort Benning, Ga., May 26, 2021. Photo courtesy of DVIDS.

 

Aug. 1 (times TBD) — Greco-Roman Wrestling (times vary by weight class)

John Stefanowicz, Marine Corps staff sergeant

Hometown: Jacksonville, North Carolina

Stefanowicz is a two-time gold medalist at the Pan American Wrestling Championships.

Ildar Hafizov, Army sergeant

Hometown: Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Prior to enlisting in the US Army, Ildar Hafizov competed for Uzbekistan in the 2008 Olympics.

Alejandro Sancho, Army specialist

Hometown: Miami, Florida

Sancho defeated former Olympian Ellis Coleman in the US Olympic trials to secure his spot at the Olympics.

Army wrestlers have bigger goals after qualifying for Tokyo Olympics
 
Sgt. Ildar Hafizov, left, and Spc. Alejandro Sancho will represent the United States at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Photo courtesy of DVIDS.

 

Aug. 1, 10:30 p.m. — Men’s 50-Meter Rifle

Patrick Sunderman, Army sergeant (50-meter rifle, three positions)

Hometown: Farmington, Minnesota

Sunderman is a West Virginia University graduate and a former member of the West Virginia National Guard.

Aug. 5, 12 a.m. — Men’s Modern Pentathlon

Amro El Geziry, Army sergeant

Hometown: Colorado Springs, Colorado

El Geziry competed in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympics for Egypt. This is his first event representing the United States.

Aug. 6, 1:30 a.m. — Women’s Modern Pentathlon

Samantha Schultz, Army sergeant

Hometown: Littleton, Colorado

Schultz won the silver medal in the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.

Aug. 24 to Sept. 5 — Paralympic Swimming

Elizabeth Marks, Army sergeant first class

Hometown: Prescott Valley, Arizona

Elizabeth Marks was injured in Iraq in 2010 and spent much of her time rehabilitating in a pool. She won four gold medals at the 2016 Invictus Games.

Aug. 24 to Sept. 5 — Paralympic Shooting

Kevin Nguyen, Army staff sergeant (10-meter, 50-meter)

Hometown: Westminster, California

Nguyen took home the gold in the mixed 50-meter rifle prone event in the 2019 Pan American Games.

John Joss, Army sergeant first class (50-meter)

Hometown: Corsicana, Texas

John Wayne Joss is the current national record holder in the R6, mixed 50-meter free-rifle prone SH1.

 

These US military members and veterans have already competed:

Women’s Skeet Results

Amber English, Army first lieutenant

Hometown: Colorado Springs, Colorado

Finish: Gold medal, set a new Olympic record

1st Lt. Amber English skeet gold medalist Tokyo 2020 Olympics
 
First Lt. Amber English, a 31-year-old logistics officer in the Army Reserve, set a new Olympic record July 26, 2021, and will leave the Tokyo Games with the gold medal in women’s skeet shooting. US Army photo by Maj. Nathaniel Garcia.

 

Men’s 10-Meter Air Pistol Results

Nick Mowrer, Army staff sergeant

Hometown: Butte, Montana

Finish: 13th

Mowrer is an eight-time national record holder.

 

Women’s 10-Meter Air Pistol Results

Sandra Uptagrafft, Army staff sergeant

Hometown: Phenix City, Alabama

Finish: 49th

Uptagrafft took gold at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.

Twelve Soldiers to represent Army at Summer Olympic Games
 
Five-time Pan American Games medalist Staff Sgt. Sandra Uptagrafft earned her spot for the Tokyo Games at the 2019 Pan American Games. Photo courtesy of DVIDS.

 

Women’s 10-Meter Air Rifle Results

Alison Weisz, Army specialist

Hometown: Belgrade, Montana

Finish: 14th

In 2018, Weisz placed second at the Championship of the Americas.

Weisz also competed in the mixed-team air-rifle event, finishing sixth with William Shaner.

 

Men’s Skeet Results

Philip Jungman, Army sergeant

Hometown: Caldwell, Texas

Finish: 15th

Philip Jungman is an instructor for the US Army Marksman Unit Shotgun Team.

 

Women’s Middleweight Boxing Results

Naomi Graham, Army staff sergeant

Hometown: Fayetteville, North Carolina

Finish: Graham was eliminated in the round of 16 by Zenfira Magomedalieva of Russia.

A two-time US national champion, Graham is the first female service member to represent USA Boxing in the Olympic Games.

Graham1
 
Staff Sgt. Naomi Graham throws a right to the chin of Briana Che during a USA nationals bout the first week of December in Salt Lake City, Utah. Graham rose through the ranks of USA Boxing after picking up the sport five years ago. She currently ranks No. 3 in the world in the women’s middleweight division. Photo by Maj. Nathaniel Garcia.

 

NBC Universal Media has several options for watching the 2021 Tokyo Olympics throughout the NBC family of networks.

 

    • NBC

 

    • NBC Sports

 

    • Olympic Channel

 

    • CNBC

 

    • USA

 

    • Golf Channel

NBC’s Peacock will provide select livestreamed coverage.