OLYMPIC NOTEBOOK: Let The Games Begin, Opening Ceremonies Friday Morning

By Sharon Robb
TOKYO, Japan, July 22, 2021—Rise and shine. Wake up early Friday morning if you want to watch the Opening Ceremonies of the Summer Olympic Games.

Because of the time difference of 13 hours, Olympic fans in South Florida will have to tune in at 6:55 a.m. (which is 8 p.m. in Tokyo) to watch on NBC and its supporting platforms. An edited version will be replayed in prime time at 7:30 p.m.

The broadcast will focus on Team USA, the Parade of Nations and performances at the event. In addition to TV coverage, they will also be streamed on the NBC Sports app and NBCOlympics.com.

TIME DIFFERENCE PRIMER

Here is a cheat sheet to help you keep track of the time the difference between Florida and Tokyo, which is 13 hours ahead of us.
Florida….Tokyo
8 a.m….9 p.m.
10 a.m….11 p.m.
Noon….1 a.m. next day
4 p.m…..5 a.m. next day
7 p.m….8 a.m. next day

GATOR NATION

After waiting 16 months, five current and three former University of Florida swimmers, will compete in the Olympics.

The current swimmers are Americans Kieran Smith and Bobby Finke; Amro Al-Wir of Jordan, Eric Friese of Germany and Alfonso Mestre of Venezuela. The former Gators are American Caeleb Dressel, a Clay High School and Bolles Club alum; Enzo Martinez-Scarpe of Uruguay and American Natalie Hinds.

Overall, 31 Gators from 15 different countries will compete in eight different sports (baseball, basketball, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, swimming and track and field.

In addition, UF head coach Anthony Nesty and former Gator head coach Gregg Troy of Gator Swim Club are U.S. men’s swimming assistant coaches. Florida alum Elizabeth Beisel is a member of the NBC broadcasting team with Rowdy Gaines, Dan Hicks and Michael Phelps.

IT’S HOT OUT THERE

Designer Ralph Lauren has included air conditioners in Team USA’s uniforms to help athletes during Japan’s hot and humid summer.

The parade uniform features a new wearable technology it calls “RL Cooling.” The team’s jackets are designed with a self-regulating temperature cooling device, basically, a personal air-conditioner to wear during what is expected to be one of the hottest-ever Games.

According to the brand, the device monitors and optimizes the wearer’s temperature, activating a system when the wearer is overheated that creates a “cooling sensation” that is long-lasting, regardless of the outside temperature. The battery-powered device is placed on the back of the jacket, blasting the wearer’s neck with cold air in a similar way to how computers are kept cool.

Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.com
http://www.swim4soflo.com