2021 Tokyo Olympics: How to Watch All the Swimming Competitions

Few things are more synonymous with the Summer Olympics than swimming. Now that the 2021 Tokyo Olympics have officially kicked off, it's time to hit the pool -- or at least watch absurdly athletic people swim laps in some of the most adrenaline-induced races you'll see during this year's games. 

Team USA star Katie Ledecky is hoping to add to her gold medal collection at her third Olympics, and she will be swimming in five events including the 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle races. She will also anchor Team USA's 4x200-meter freestyle relay. If Ledecky snags four 1st place prizes, she will tie the record with gymnast Larisa Latynina for the female Olympian with the most gold medals (Only Michael Phelps would be ahead of them with 23). 

On the men's side for Team USA, Caeleb Dressel is looking to make a splash after his impressive showing at the 2019 FINA World Championships. Pundits are calling him the next Michael Phelps as Dressel has qualified for 13 events throughout the Tokyo Olympics. 

If you want to watch the swimming events live, NBC will be streaming them on the NBC Olympics website. Highlights and finals races will air on NBC and NBC sports, with big races also available to stream on Peacock. For when and how to watch every other sport at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, check out TV Guide's complete schedule. or Cord Cutters News' schedule organized by day. The complete swimming schedule is below. 

*All times are in EST

Saturday, July 24
6:02 a.m.: Men's 400 Individual Medley Preliminaries
6:28 a.m.: Women's 100 Butterfly Preliminaries
6:48 a.m.: Men's 400 Freestyle Preliminaries
7:30 a.m.: Women's 400 Individual Medley Preliminaries
7:55 a.m.: Men's 100 Breaststroke Preliminaries
8:15 a.m.: Women's 4x100 Freestyle relay Preliminaries
9:30 p.m.: Men's 400 Individual Medley Final
9:40 p.m.: Women's 100 Butterfly Semifinals
9:52 p.m.: Men's 400 Freestyle Final
10:12 p.m.: Women's 400 Individual Medley Final
10:33 p.m.: Men's 100 Breaststroke Semifinals
10:45 p.m.: Women's 4x100 Freestyle Relay Final

Sunday, July 25
6:02 a.m.: Women's 100 Backstroke Preliminaries
6:22 a.m.: Men's 200 Freestyle Preliminaries
6:59 a.m.: Women's 100 Breaststroke Preliminaries
7:19 a.m.: Men's 100 Backstroke Preliminaries
7:39 a.m.: Women's 400 Freestyle Preliminaries
8:10 a.m.: Men's 4x100 Freestyle Relay Preliminaries
9:30 p.m.: Women's 100 Butterfly Final
9:37 p.m.: Men's 200 Freestyle Semifinals
9:50 p.m.: Women's 100 Breaststroke Semifinals
10:12 p.m.: Men's 100 Breaststroke Final
10:20 p.m.: Women's 400 Freestyle Final
10:31 p.m.: Men's 100 Backstroke Semifinals
10:53 p.m.: Women's 100 Backstroke Semifinals
11:05 p.m.: Men's 4x100 Freestyle Relay Final

Monday, July 26
6:02 a.m.: Women's 200 Freestyle Preliminaries
6:29 a.m.: Men's 200 Butterfly Preliminaries
6:56 a.m.: Women's 200 Individual Medley Preliminaries
7:32 a.m.: Women's 1,500 Freestyle Preliminaries
9:30 p.m.: Women's 200 Freestyle Semifinals
9:43 p.m.: Men's 200 Freestyle Final
9:51 p.m.: Women's 100 Backstroke Final
9:59 p.m.: Men's 100 Backstroke Final
10:17 p.m.: Women's 100 Breaststroke Final
10:35 p.m.: Men's 200 Butterfly Semifinals
10:58 p.m.: Women's 200 Individual Medley Semifinals

Tuesday, July 27
6:02 a.m.: Men's 100 Freestyle Preliminaries
6:28 a.m.: Women's 200 Butterfly Preliminaries
6:50 a.m.: Men's 200 Breaststroke Preliminaries
7:17 a.m.: Men's 4x200 Freestyle Relay Preliminaries
7: 37 a.m.: Men's 800 Freestyle Preliminaries
9:30 p.m.: Men's 100 Freestyle Semifinals
9:41 p.m.: Women's 200 Freestyle Final
9:49 p.m.: Men's 200 Butterfly Final
9:57 p.m.: Women's 200 Butterfly Semifinals
10:21 p.m.: Men's 200 Breaststroke Semifinals
10:45 p.m.: Women's 200 Individual Medley Final
10:54 p.m.: Women's 1,500 Freestyle Final
11:26 p.m.: Men's 4x200 Freestyle Relay Final

Wednesday, July 28
6:02 a.m.: Women's 100 Freestyle Preliminaries
6:25 a.m.: Men's 200 Backstroke Preliminaries
6:52 a.m.: Women's 200 Breaststroke Preliminaries
7:15 a.m.: Men's 200 Individual Medley Preliminaries
7: 34 a.m.: Women's 4x200 Freestyle Relay Preliminaries
9:30 p.m.: Men's 800 Freestyle Final
9:44 p.m.: Men's 200 Breaststroke Final
9:53 p.m.: Women's 100 Freestyle Semifinals
10:04 p.m.: Men's 200 Backstroke Semifinals
10:28 p.m.: Women's 200 Butterfly Final
10:37 p.m.: Men's 100 Freestyle Final
10:54 p.m.: Women's 200 Breaststroke Semifinals
11:08 p.m.: Men's 200 Individual Medley Semifinals
11:31 p.m.: Women's 4x200 Freestyle Relay Final

Thursday, July 29
6:02 a.m.: Women's 800 Freestyle Preliminaries
6:50 a.m.: Men's 100 Butterfly Preliminaries
7:02 a.m.: Women's 200 Backstroke Preliminaries
7:28 a.m.: Mixed 4x100 Medley Relay Preliminaries
9:30 p.m.: Men's 100 Butterfly Semifinals
9:41 p.m.: Women's 200 Breaststroke Final
9:50 p.m.: Men's 200 Backstroke Final
9:59 p.m.: Women's 100 Freestyle Final
10:16 p.m.: Men's 200 Individual Medley Final
10:35 p.m.: Women's 200 Backstroke Semifinals

Friday, July 30
6:02 a.m.: Men's 50 Freestyle Preliminaries
6:24 a.m.: Women's 50 Freestyle Preliminaries
6:48 a.m.: Men's 1,500 Freestyle Preliminaries
8:36 a.m.: Women's 4x100 Medley Relay Preliminaries
8:50 a.m.: Men's 4x100 Medley Relay Preliminaries
9:30 p.m.: Men's 100 Butterfly Final
9:37 p.m.: Women's 200 Backstroke Final
9:46 p.m.: Women's 800 Freestyle Final
10:11 p.m.: Men's 50 Freestyle Semifinals
10:32 p.m.: Women's 50 Freestyle Semifinals
10:43 p.m.: Mixed 4x100 Medley Relay Final

Saturday, July 31
9:30 p.m.: Men's 50 Freestyle Final
9:37 p.m.: Women's 50 Freestyle Final
9:44 p.m.: Men's 1,500 Freestyle Final
10:15 p.m.: Women's 4x100 Medley Relay Final
10:36 p.m.: Men's 4x100 Medley Relay Final