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* SATURDAY

US Olympic Festival (CBS, 4-6 p.m.): Hopefuls for the Olympics and Pan-American Games compete in a range of sports. This program covers figure skating, boxing, gymnastics, and other sports. * SUNDAY

US Olympic Festival (CBS, 2-6 p.m.): Figure skating, boxing, gymnastics, track, triathlon, women's volleyball, others. * MONDAY

Biography (A&E, 8-9 p.m.): With ``Christa McAuliffe: Teacher in Space,'' the notable series shifts its focus from public figures to a person not well known before she was chosen for the Challenger space shuttle mission. Later, as the world watched, she and her fellow astronauts were killed when the shuttle exploded after liftoff on Jan. 28, 1986.

As a subject, McAuliffe makes a timely and richly deserved addition to TV's current programs marking the 25th anniversary of man's first landing on the moon. The production offers interviews with McAuliffe's students, the teacher who was her alternate for the flight, her mother, her best friend, and others.

Jim Thorpe Pro Sports Awards (ABC, 9-11 p.m., EDT): A touching moment occurred on this show last year: Baseball's Joe DiMaggio was given the Life Achievement Award. On this year's edition - aired live from the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles, and hosted by Mark Curry of TV's ``Hangin' With Mr. Cooper'' - actor Morgan Freeman will hand the award to another baseball great, Hank Aaron. He's marking the 20th anniversary of his 715th home run, the one that broke Babe Ruth's record.

But the main business of the Jim Thorpe awards, named after the legendary athlete who lived from 1888 to 1953, is to announce the currently active winners in 10 categories, from tennis to auto racing. Each winner is chosen from among three nominees. No great surprises this year. (Take basketball, for example: Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson.)

The voting is done by the Thorpe Academy, comprising 24 sports figures and journalists.

Please check local listings for these programs.