MUMBAI: With the Rio Olympics 2016 round the corner, CNN-News18 and IBN7 have geared up to bring the most extensive programming on the world’s biggest sporting event. The channels have exclusively empanelled India’s top sportspersons to provide the viewers with unparalleled coverage throughout the games.

CNN-News18 Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo and IBN7 Sports Editor Vimal Kumar will spearhead the coverage directly from Rio de Janeiro. The coverage will feature some of the biggest names in the Indian sports - two time Olympics medallist Sushil Kumar, ace Indian shooter Ronjan Sodhi, former coach of Indian men’s hockey team Michael Nobbs, one of India’s foremost tennis coaches Enrico Piperno, former tennis player and sports administrator Manisha Malhotra, Asian Games Gold medal winning archer Abhishek Verma, boxing legend Akhil Kumar, Dronacharya awardee Yashvir Singh, India’s leading shuttler and reigning Commonwealth Games Gold medallist Parupalli Kashyap, former South Asian Games Champion in long jump Reeth Abraham, former Indian hockey player and Olympic Bronze medallist Ashok Kumar and shooter Annu Raj Singh.

The channel’s reportage with bring daily updates from Rio and will closely track the progress of India’s top medal hopefuls.