How to watch Taliyah Brooks compete in the heptathlon at the Olympics

Taliyah Brooks is the first Wichita Falls native to ever qualify for the Olympic Games. And now her fellow Wichitans are clamoring to watch her compete on the world’s grandest athletic stage.

That’s not going to be easy for everyone, considering the Olympics are in Paris (France, not Texas) with a seven-hour difference in time.

Some heptathlon events, which Brooks qualified for by finishing third in the seven-tiered competition at the US Olympic Trials, take place in the wee hours of the morning. Others occur during most people’s work day.

It will take a commitment to changing your sleep and/or work schedule to see Brooks compete live. But with the right app (Peacock), you should be able to watch all events on demand.

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How to watch the Olympics

Refer to your local listings or channel guide with your television provider for station numbers.

NBC will be the main TV network for Olympics coverage, and will televise many of the major events, including opening and closing ceremonies, swimming finals, track and field, gymnastics finals and more.

However, the primetime show at 7 p.m. each night will only show highlights of most of the day’s major events.

The USA Network and E! Entertainment News will also feature track and field on its schedule. However, there’s no guarantee the heptathlon events will be a focus during any of these broadcasts. Other channels offering Olympics coverage include CNBC and the Golf Channel, but track and field is not listed as one of the events featured on those channels.

NBC’s streaming app Peacock is advertising track and field specific programming available live and on demand. The Peacock app is available in the Apple and Android stores and on Fire TV, Roku and most other popular streaming devices.

It does require a subscription of $7.99 per month.

Heptathlon schedule

The heptathlon is set to begin Thursday, Aug. 8, and conclude Friday, Aug. 9. All events take place at the Stade de France, the country’s national stadium located just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis.

Here’s a schedule breakdown for all five events. All times are local to Wichita Falls.

THURSDAY, AUG. 8

3:05 a.m. – 100-meter hurdles

4:05 a.m. – High jump

12:35 p.m. – Shot put

1:55 p.m. – 200 meters

FRIDAY, AUG. 9

4:20 a.m. – Javelin throw (Group A)

5:30 a.m. – Javelin throw (Group B)

1:15 p.m. – 800 meters

Scouting the competition

Brooks is the 16th ranked heptathlete in the world, but 14 of the 15 women ranked ahead of her are among the field of 24 competing to make the podium. Brooks narrowly edged 14th-ranked Michelle Atherley for third place at the US Olympics Trials in June.

The top-ranked heptathlete is American Anna Hall, who won the US Olympic Trials. Her toughest competition, according to the world rankings, are Great Britain’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson and The Netherlands’ Anouk Vetter, who won silver at the 2020 Olympics.

Also in the field is 2020 Olympic champion Naffissatou Thiam of Belgium and bronze Medalist Emma Oosterwegel of The Netherlands.

Brooks posted personal-best marks in the shot put, javelin throw and 800 meters plus a season best in the 200 meters at the Olympic Trials. She also stumbled late in the 100-meter hurdles, one of her best events, for a disappointing fifth-place finish.

That means Brooks left some points on the track, indicating that she has yet to max out her score. With typical performances in the 100-meter hurdles, high jump and long jump combined with more personal best marks in other events, Brooks could have enough to push past her competition and reach the medal stand.

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: How to watch Taliyah Brooks compete in the heptathlon at the Olympics