What to Watch For: Day 5

Day 5 of the Olympics marks the first day that Michael Phelps will not compete in final. But don’t despair. Phelps will compete in the semifinal of the 200m IM (11:16 PM ET). And, just because Phelps isn’t going for gold doesn’t mean tonight’s Olympic coverage is a bust. There are actually a few events worth watching, especially if your a stickler for beach volleyball. Already assured of a spot in the next round, Americans Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh play their final preliminary women’s beach volleyball match against Norway (9:00 PM ET). The U.S. pair has not dropped a single set in nine career Olympic appearances and has won its past 103 consecutive matches. And more action from the now famous Water Cube pool, where world records have fallen like dominos. Katie Hoff and Natalie Coughlin lead the American women’s 4x200m free relay team in a swim for gold (11:32 PM ET). Plus, the women’s 200m fly (10:42 PM ET), men’s 200m breast (10:03 PM ET), men’s 100m free (10:49 PM ET). In the women’s 200m fly, look for Americans Kathleen Hershey and Elaine Breeden to go for podium positions. In the men’s 200m breast, American Scott Spann had the second fastest qualifying time, but the favorite in this race is Japan’s Kosuke Kitajima whose 2.08.61 swim in the semifinals was an Olympic record time. And in the men’s 100m free, relay hero Jason Lezak will go for gold against a strong field, which includes world-record holder Eamon Sullivan of Australia, former world record holder and big mouth Alain Bernard of France, and former world record holder Pieter van den Hoogenband of the Netherlands. Should be a fun race to watch, and a good slate of events are on tap during NBC’s primetime coverage of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.