Of course everybody knows that the 2012 Summer Olympic Games is just a few days away, here I personally picked 10 sportsperson across the world that I am looking forward to their performance at the games.
1. Chris Hoy (Great Britain)
He’s the flag barrier of the Team GB at this year’s Olympic Games. He has won 11 World Championship titles and 4 gold medals which include 3 gold medals at Beijing (the first Briton to win 3 gold medals in a single game), winning the sprint, keirin and team sprint making him one of the most successful cyclists in Olympic History. This year, participating in just 2 events- keirin and team sprint events, British hopes are high on him to accomplish the same feat again by winning both gold medals.
2. Bradley Wiggins (Great Britain)
After creating history by being the first ever British rider to win Tour de France, Wiggins has no time to celebrate because another great chance for him to create more history. 4 years back at Beijing, Wiggins won 2 gold medals on the track event, which is the individual pursuit and team pursuit event. During the process, he successfully defends his individual pursuit gold medal at Athens in 2004. This time, he is focusing and competing on the road in the road race and individual time trial event. He could end up being the first cyclist to win the Tour, an Olympic track and a road cycling gold.
After creating history by being the first ever British rider to win Tour de France, Wiggins has no time to celebrate because another great chance for him to create more history. 4 years back at Beijing, Wiggins won 2 gold medals on the track event, which is the individual pursuit and team pursuit event. During the process, he successfully defends his individual pursuit gold medal at Athens in 2004. This time, he is focusing and competing on the road in the road race and individual time trial event. He could end up being the first cyclist to win the Tour, an Olympic track and a road cycling gold.
3. Liu Xiang (China)
The 2004 110m hurdles gold medalist is China’s first male gold medalist from the track and field event. But after suffering a horrible outing in front of his home fans at Beijing, he hopes to regain some pride by winning the gold medal once again at London. He has been clocking consistently this year, clocking under the 13s since 2007, clocking his fastest time this year of 12.97s. But he will definitely face strong challenge from his great rivals- Cuba’s 2008 Gold Medal winner Dayron Robles, America’s World Champion Jason Richardson and World Indoor Champion Aries Merritt. 
4. Matthew Emmons (United States)
Perhaps he is a surprise inclusion in my list. Not many people knew him, but he caught my eyes during the Beijing 2008 games for some “wrong” reasons. During the 2004 games, in the 50m three position rifle final, on the verge of victory he fired his last shot at the wrong target and recorded a zero dropping him from first place to eight place. 4 years later, again the same scenario, this time he fired a shocking 4.4 dropping him from first place to fourth place in the same event. He did won a gold medal at Athens and a silver medal at Beijing for the 50m rifle prone event. I really hope he can win the gold medal he deserves at this year’s Olympics.
5. Oscar Pistorious (South Africa)
Before the games started, he has already created history by being the first double amputee runner to run in the Olympic Games. He will participate in the 400m and the 4x400m relay events. He may not have a great chance to win any medals, but his participation in the games shows that people with disability are able to compete with normal people. Some people argue that his blades give him an unfair advantage to him. He even takes his case to sport’s highest court so that he is able to compete against able-bodied athletes on his blades.
Before the games started, he has already created history by being the first double amputee runner to run in the Olympic Games. He will participate in the 400m and the 4x400m relay events. He may not have a great chance to win any medals, but his participation in the games shows that people with disability are able to compete with normal people. Some people argue that his blades give him an unfair advantage to him. He even takes his case to sport’s highest court so that he is able to compete against able-bodied athletes on his blades.
6.Roger Federer (Switzerland)
3 weeks back, the Swiss master has finally won his long awaited 17th grand slam title at Wimbledon and more importantly regain his world no.1 status breaking Pete Sampras’s record of 286 weeks atop the list. The victory could serve as a potential confidence boost ahead of the games which took place at the same venue. The Swiss master has every possible individual tennis title in his bag, but one is missing that is an Olympic Singles Gold Medal. With Rafael Nadal not competing in the games, chances of him to finally win that gold medal seems bright.
7. Yelena Isinbayeva (Russia)
Widely considered as the greatest pole-vaulter in history, Yelena has already won 2 gold medals in pole vault at Beijing and Athens, 5 world championship titles and a number of world records to her name. She has returned to her form after a slump of fortunes. At the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, she failed to record a height and left the stadium in tears, while at last year’s worlds in Daegu, South Korea, she finished sixth. This year after returning to her childhood coach Yevgeny Trofimov, she recorded 5.01m (world record in indoor events) in the World Indoor Championship in Istanbul, 0.5m off the world record set by her in 2009 at Zurich.
8. Usain Bolt (Jamaica)
The “Lightning Bolt” was one of the biggest stars at the Beijing Games by winning 3 gold medals in 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay sprint event at the Bird Nest. During the process, he set 3 world record times. But coming into this year’s Olympics, he is beaten twice in the 100m and 200m by his Jamaican team-mate Yohan Blake in the Jamaica trails. Unidentified source says that he is also struggling with injury. This further raises the question mark whether he is able to defend his crown at London.
9. Sun Yang (China)
At just the age of 20, he has become one of rising stars in China. Last year, Sun Yang won both the 800m and 1500m freestyle at the world championship and he even breaks the 1500m world record held by Australian swimmer Grant Hackett. China has high hopes on him to win at least one gold medal, so that China is able to break the dominance of their great rivals USA in the pool. He is participating in the 200m, 400m and 1500m freestyle at this year’s Olympics.
10. Michael Phelps (United States)
He has won a total of 14 gold medals, 6 at Athens and 8 at Beijing (A total of 16 medals including 2 bronze medals at Athens). At this year’s game, he will only participate in 7 events dropping the 200m freestyle event, so he won’t get a chance to equal that record set in 2008. But still, Phelps has a chance to create yet another history by winning the most Olympic medals in Olympic history. He needs another 3 more to beat Soviet Union’s gymnast Larisa Latyina’s record of 18 medals. He is participating in the 100m and 200m butterfly, 200m and 400m individual medley, 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle relay and 4x100m medley relay. His teammate Ryan Lochte will give him a strong fight in the 200m and 400m individual medley event.
3 weeks back, the Swiss master has finally won his long awaited 17th grand slam title at Wimbledon and more importantly regain his world no.1 status breaking Pete Sampras’s record of 286 weeks atop the list. The victory could serve as a potential confidence boost ahead of the games which took place at the same venue. The Swiss master has every possible individual tennis title in his bag, but one is missing that is an Olympic Singles Gold Medal. With Rafael Nadal not competing in the games, chances of him to finally win that gold medal seems bright.
7. Yelena Isinbayeva (Russia)
Widely considered as the greatest pole-vaulter in history, Yelena has already won 2 gold medals in pole vault at Beijing and Athens, 5 world championship titles and a number of world records to her name. She has returned to her form after a slump of fortunes. At the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, she failed to record a height and left the stadium in tears, while at last year’s worlds in Daegu, South Korea, she finished sixth. This year after returning to her childhood coach Yevgeny Trofimov, she recorded 5.01m (world record in indoor events) in the World Indoor Championship in Istanbul, 0.5m off the world record set by her in 2009 at Zurich.
8. Usain Bolt (Jamaica)
The “Lightning Bolt” was one of the biggest stars at the Beijing Games by winning 3 gold medals in 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay sprint event at the Bird Nest. During the process, he set 3 world record times. But coming into this year’s Olympics, he is beaten twice in the 100m and 200m by his Jamaican team-mate Yohan Blake in the Jamaica trails. Unidentified source says that he is also struggling with injury. This further raises the question mark whether he is able to defend his crown at London.
9. Sun Yang (China)
At just the age of 20, he has become one of rising stars in China. Last year, Sun Yang won both the 800m and 1500m freestyle at the world championship and he even breaks the 1500m world record held by Australian swimmer Grant Hackett. China has high hopes on him to win at least one gold medal, so that China is able to break the dominance of their great rivals USA in the pool. He is participating in the 200m, 400m and 1500m freestyle at this year’s Olympics.
10. Michael Phelps (United States)
He has won a total of 14 gold medals, 6 at Athens and 8 at Beijing (A total of 16 medals including 2 bronze medals at Athens). At this year’s game, he will only participate in 7 events dropping the 200m freestyle event, so he won’t get a chance to equal that record set in 2008. But still, Phelps has a chance to create yet another history by winning the most Olympic medals in Olympic history. He needs another 3 more to beat Soviet Union’s gymnast Larisa Latyina’s record of 18 medals. He is participating in the 100m and 200m butterfly, 200m and 400m individual medley, 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle relay and 4x100m medley relay. His teammate Ryan Lochte will give him a strong fight in the 200m and 400m individual medley event.
By,
Zhe Xu
25/07/2012
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