Top 10 athletes to watch at the summer Olympics
1. Usain Bolt
This Jamaican sprinter is one of the most entertaining Olympic athletes of all time. With his swagger, broken records and talent, Bolt is bound to make a splash at this summer's Olympics. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics he won gold in the 100 and 200 meter races and the 4x100 relay race. Expect those gold's this summer and maybe even a couple of more.
2. Michael Phelps
What's astonishing about Phelps is that he was debating whether to even compete in this summer's Olympics because he just didn't have the competitive fire anymore. Luckily, NFL linebacker Ray Lewis gave him some inspiration and Phelps decided to compete. Phelps is one of the most decorated Olympic athletes of all time and this summer could make him even more decorated.
3. Anyone on the USA basketball team
This team is stacked with NBA superstars like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Blake Griffin, Kevin Love and Kevin Durant. So this team is of course the favorite heading into the Olympics and is getting slight comparisons to the 1992 dream team. That team had Michael Jordan, John Stockton, Charles Barkley and many other superstars. The USA should win this year, but they do face tough competition against Spain and Argentina.
4. Ryan Lochte
Swimmer Ryan Lochte has always been somewhat of a underdog compared to Phelps but this year he could make a splash. Lochte recently has been able to beat Phelps in a couple of events at the World Championships and he said that after beating Phelps he feels like he can beat him anytime. It will be interesting to watch what unfolds as these two Americans face off and their rivalry becomes even more intense.
5. Nastia Liukin
Now that Shawn Johnson is gone and can't steal the hearts of millions of Americans, Liukin will be able to step in and maybe do that herself. Liukin also competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and won one gold, three silvers and one bronze. This year, millions of fans would undoubtedly enjoy seeing her win a couple more golds.
6. Liu Xiang
Xiang is one of the most popular athletes in China and is one of the better runners in this year's Olympics. In 2008 Xiang had to pull out of the Olympics at the last minute because of an injury, but this year he is bound to show what he can do.
7. Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh
Treanor and Walsh have been deemed as the most dominant team in volleyball, but recently they have waned a bit due to age. But these women can still win at anytime and anywhere because of their dominance. Also this team is extremely fun to watch because of the amount of chemistry they have together on and off the sand.
8. Jordan Burroughs
Burroughs is somewhat of an unknown athlete heading into these Olympics because of how young he is. Burroughs, now 23, became a prominent wrestler in high school and then at the University of Nebraska. After college Burroughs went on to win gold in the world championships and the Pan American games. He will be interesting to watch in these games and should be a nice surprise.
9. Trey Hardee
Hardee is a decathlon athlete that has an injury past. But this summer Hardee is supposed to make some noise after his Tommy John surgery and quick rehab. Hardee might be the best American track athlete this summer and has a real shot at winning gold.
10. Anyone that competes in archery
Archery is by far the coolest event in the Olympics. I don't car
e who wins or who loses – just watching these athletes shoot arrows at targets from a ridiculous distance is awesome.
Ben Goldstein Sports Editor
