MSNBC to air Olympic trials…

NBC announced that for the next thirteen weeks MSNBC will be airing Olympic trial events every Sunday at Noon ET…

The U.S. Olympic Trials for women’s marathon, will air on MSNBC on Sunday from Noon-1 p.m. ET. The one-hour taped highlights show will be the premiere episode in a series highlighting a number of Olympic Trials events leading up to the Beijing Olympic Games in August. The Women’s Marathon is the first of 13 consecutive Sundays of Olympic Trials coverage on MSNBC. NBC will broadcast 10 hours in primetime focusing on the marquee sports of swimming, gymnastics and track & field. USA Network’s telecasts will focus on those marquee sports as well in primetime and late night. NBCOlympics.com also will offer Trials coverage with full details to be announced soon.

The U.S. Olympic Trials for women’s marathon was held on Sunday, Apr. 20, and was run on a unique multi-loop course in downtown Boston and Cambridge, Mass. The race features more than 100 of the top female marathoners in America vying for a chance to represent the United States at the Olympic Games in Beijing this summer. Among the athletes entered in the field are 2004 Olympic Marathon bronze medalist Deena Kastor, 1984 Olympic Marathon gold medalist Joan Samuelson, and 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials for women’s marathon champion Colleen De Reuck.

NBC Sports commentator Al Trautwig and 10-time NCAA All-American Ed Eyestone, provide commentary.

MSNBC’S COVERAGE:
MSNBC will offer 20.5 hours of regularly scheduled Olympic Trials coverage beginning each Sunday at Noon ET over 13 weeks. Wrestling, boxing, triathlon, marathon, canoeing, volleyball, softball and weightlifting are among the featured sports.

More information about NBC’s coverage of the U.S. Olympic Trials and the Olympic Games can be found at NBCOlympics.com. Additional information about the U.S. Olympic Trials for women’s marathon can be found at bostontrials2008.com.