USA last won the men’s and women’s 100m gold way back in 2004 and 1996, respectively. While it was Gail Devers who sealed the gold for women, Justin Gatlin was the last of US men’s 100m sprinters to achieve the feat in Athens. Deprived of golden glory, Team USA will be desperately looking to bring in a new dawn of gold rush in Paris. And well, realistically, the prospects are looking quite bright. The track and field realm has witnessed the rise of American dominance over the last few years. 

Competing in the 2023 World Championships, the likes of Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson have clinched gold to establish their dominance. And carrying their electric form, Lyles and Richardson stood third and first, respectively, in the 2024 100m world lead. Unfortunately, while Sha’Carri Richardson missed out on a berth in the 200m, Noah Lyles has qualified in all three events and is looking for a quadruple. Thus, with such exciting action coming up, it is important for the fans to know when they will be performing. Here’s the schedule and full details about men’s and women’s Olympic track and field events. 

Everything to know about the men’s and women’s track and field schedule 2024

Both Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles have motivations of their own to shine in Paris. Back in 2020, Sha’Carri Richardson was tantalizingly close to being called an Olympian. After getting selected in the Tokyo US trials, the world was shocked to find out that Richardson was banned from the games following THC accusations. Thus, when the 24-year-old qualified for Paris, her zeal to succeed was more than it ever was. 

Quite contrastingly, Noah Lyles, on the other hand, has his own unique goals. Blending style and performance into the tracks, the ambitious Gainesville native will be aiming to take down Usain Bolt’s record. And well, if these stories do get their deserved endings in Paris, the ones watching will be treated to an absolute cinema. Starting August 2, Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles will be commencing their Olympic quest. Here is the schedule to catch them in action live. 

Friday, August 2

• Women’s 100m Preliminary Round:4:35 a.m.
• Women’s 100m Round 1: 4:50 a.m.

Saturday, August 3

• Women’s 100m Semifinal: 1:50 p.m.
• Women’s 100m Final: 3:20 p.m. 

Saturday, August 3

• Men’s 100m Preliminary Round: 5:45 a.m

Sunday, August 4

• Men’s 100m Semifinal: 2 p.m
• Men’s 100m Final: 3:55 p.m

Monday, August 5

• Men’s 200m Round 1: 1:55 p.m

Wednesday, August 7

• Men’s 200m Semi-finals: 2:02 p.m

Friday, August 8

• Men’s 200m Final: 2:30 p.m

Friday, August 9

• Men’s 4x100m Final: 7:45 p.m

All the events will be telecasted live on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com. Meanwhile, as the US mercury rises with the anticipation of possible world records being broken, there are significant threats waiting to spoil the American dream. 

Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson await stiff competition 

Sha’Carri Richardson’s 10.71s might be the fastest time so far in 2024, but the Olympics are a whole new ball game altogether. Her country mates, Twanisha Terry and Melissa Jefferson, will not spare an inch of space once they hear the gunfire on August 2. And to make matters even more challenging for Richardson, the entire herd of Jamaicans are waiting to pounce on the slightest mistakes. With a formidable lineup consisting of Shericka Jackson, Hansle Parchment, and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Sha’Carri Richardson will have her work cut out in Paris. 

A similar challenge awaits Noah Lyles too. Lyles has been plagued with accusations about slow timing right from the start. However, as the season progressed, Lyles seemed to be coming into his groove. In the recently concluded London Diamond League, Lyles clocked a blitzkrieg of 9.81s to claim the gold. But while in Paris, the likes of Fred Kerley, and Kenny Bednarek, Akani Simbine, Ferdinand Omanyala, and Oblique Seville will pose a humongous threat to Lyles. Thus, with the battle lines being drawn, it will be a test of character to see whether Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles can shrug off the pressure and make history in Paris.