The Summer Olympics in London, England are just 41 days away. With so many countries, so many events and so many athletes to keep track of it can be daunting.
Before the games get underway with the Opening Ceremonies on July 27, familiarize yourself with some of the top athletes who will be at the games.
Jordyn Wieber is only 16-years-old, but is already the 2011 U.S. Senior National Champion, 2012 U.S. Senior National Champion, and 2011 all-around World Champion. Wieber will look to be the first world all-around champion to follow up with an Olympic all-around gold since 1996. fulltwist.netKohei Uchimura is one of the most dominant athletes in the world and has climbed to the top in men’s gymnastics. In 2011, Uchimura became the first person ever to win three consecutive all-around world titles. Though Uchimura took home two silver medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he is the favorite to take gold in London. Zimbo.comTimo Boll has become a dominant force in table tennis. He earned the No. 1 world ranking at the beginning of 2011 and is now ranked No. 6 in the world. Table tennis is generally dominated by Asian countries at the Olympics, but Boll has been bringing a lot of attention from Europe to the sport. He is the first German to ever earn a No. 1 world ranking in table tennis and is a serious contender for the gold medal in London. tabletennis.grUsian Bolt is a five-time World and three-time Olympic gold medalist. He holds the world record in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and 4x100 meter relay with his teammate. He is the fastest man in the world and is expected to continue his dominance in London.greenobles.comSetting records and creating history has become second nature to Veronica Campbell-Brown. She claimed 200 meters gold in China to win back-to-back Olympic titles in the event. She is a five-time Olympic medalist and is looking to make history again in 2012. habarinetwork.comMarta Vieira da Silva is a Brazilian superstar and was voted the FIFA Women's World Player of the Year for five years from 2006 to 2010. She will be competing in her third Olympics in London and will look to improve beyond Brazil’s silver finishes in both Athens and Beijing. lotsasplainin.netMichael Phelps was the star of the Beijing Olympics with eight gold medals. He has won 16 Olympic medals including 14 gold and two bronze. He holds the record for the most gold medals won in a single Olympics and will compete again in London in the 100m and 200m distances. greenobles.comRyan Lochte is a six-time Olympic medalist with three gold, two silver, and one bronze. He is the current world record holder in the 200-meter individual medley and the 400-meter individual medley. At the 2011 World Championships, Lochte won five gold medals and has two head to head victories over Michael Phelps. hotmaleswimmers.comKevin Durant helped the U.S. earn the gold medal in the 2010 FIBA World Championship and will try to top his remarkable year with a gold medal in London. The forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder is a 3-time NBA scoring champion and a 3-time All NBA First Team member. He has helped the Thunder reach the NBA finals as the NBA’s leading scorer. It is projected that Durant will play as power forward and is expected to be a key player for Team USA. wsuent.comPeter Joppich is a foil fencer who widely considered as the best foil fencers in the world. His Olympic performances in Athens and Beijing have fallen short of expectations, but Joppich is a four-time world champion, with his latest title coming in 2010. London may be Joppich's last chance to win Olympic gold. abendblatt.de
