U.S. Olympic track and field trials: How to watch, athletes to know, schedule of events

Vashti Cunningham is one of the world’s best high jumpers. She’s fighting for her third Olympic berth in the event and has won 13 consecutive U.S. high jump titles in indoor and outdoor track. Cunningham is just the latest athletic superstar in the family. Her father is former Eagles quarterback Randall Cunningham, and she’s not the only athlete with a Philly sports relative. Erin Marsh, the sister of Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh, is competing across the field in one of the discipline’s most challenging events, the heptathlon.

» READ MORE: Olympian Vashti Cunningham makes her own name in the high jump

The area has several returning Olympians, NCAA champions, and stars from the college and professional ranks. Here’s everything you need to know about the U.S. Olympic track and field trials:

The trials run from Friday to June 30, with days off on Tuesday and Wednesday. Sessions from Friday to Monday will start at 1 p.m. and consist of preliminary heats and the event finals, which will determine the Olympic team. Sessions on Thursday and June 29 will begin at 7:30 p.m. The June 28 session will begin at 7 p.m. The final session on June 30 will begin at 6:15 p.m.

Race walking, the only qualifying event that will not take place in Eugene, Ore., will start at 10:30 a.m. on June 29.

Here is the schedule of event finals:

Friday: Men’s 10,000 meters

Saturday: Women’s triple jump, men’s shot put, decathlon men’s 1,500 meters, women’s 100 meters

Sunday: Women’s hammer throw, men’s pole vault, men’s javelin, women’s 400 meters, men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, men’s 100 meters

Monday: Women’s high jump, men’s long jump, men’s 1,500 meters, men’s 400 meters, women’s 5,000 meters, women’s 800 meters

Thursday: Women’s discus, women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase

June 28: Men’s 110-meter hurdles

June 29: Men’s 20-kilometer race walk, women’s 20-kilometer race walk, men’s discus, women’s long jump, women’s 200 meters, women’s shot put, women’s 10,000 meters, men’s 200 meters

June 30: Women’s pole vault, men’s hammer throw, men’s high jump, men’s triple jump, women’s javelin, men’s 5,000 meters, men’s 800 meters, women’s 100-meter hurdles, women’s 1,500 meters, men’s 400-meter hurdles, women’s 400-meter hurdles

For a full list of events, see the U.S. Olympic track and field trials schedule here.

Full coverage can be found on Peacock, NBC’s streaming service, which will televise all of the races. Each date of the trials will be spread across USA Network and NBC. Here’s the full schedule for TV:

Friday: 6:30-9 p.m. on USA Network, 9-11 p.m. on NBC

Saturday: 8:55-11 p.m. on NBC

Sunday: 8:45-11 p.m. on NBC

Monday: 8-11 p.m. on NBC

Thursday: 8-9 p.m. on NBC, 9-11 p.m. on USA Network

June 28: 8-9 p.m. on USA Network, 10-11 p.m. on NBC

June 29: 8-10 p.m. on NBC

June 30: 7:30-8:3 p.m. on NBC

Races occurring at any time not listed will be televised exclusively on Peacock.

Track makes up the largest number of events at the Olympics. There are 48 events (24 women’s and 24 men’s events). A maximum of three athletes per country can qualify in each individual event, so the top three finishers in each event are likely to make the Olympic team. Additional sprinters will make the team to contribute in relays.

Five runners have already clinched their spots in the Olympics, since the final track and field events — the men’s and women’s marathon — already held their Olympic trials in February.

The Delaware Valley is well represented at the trials, with returning Olympians, including a gold medalist, NCAA champions, and some competing for their first chance.

Here’s a list of Philly area and Philadelphia-connected athletes, including links to our past coverage so you can learn more before you watch: