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Medal Picks
Who'll reach the winner's podium in all 302 events
ARCHERY
Men
Individual
Im Dong-hyun, South Korea
Brady Ellison, U.S.
Dmytro Hrachov, Ukraine
Two-time champ Im has 20/200 vision.
Team
South Korea
France
Italy
The U.S. could land on the podium.
Women
Individual
Ki Bo-bae, South Korea
Deepika Kumari, India
Fang Yuting, China
Kumari used to practice by targeting mangos.
Team
South Korea
China
India
South Korea has won all six Olympic women's team golds.
BADMINTON
Men
Singles
Lin Dan, China
Lee Chong Wei, Malaysia
Peter Gade, Denmark
Lin is only player to have won a career Super Slam of the sport's nine majors.
Doubles
Cai Yun & Fu Haifeng, China
Jung Jae-sung & Lee Yong-dae, South Korea
Mathias Boe & Carsten Mogensen, Denmark
U.S. duo, Howard Bach and Tony Gunawan, won worlds in 2005.
Women
Singles
Wang Yihan, China
Wang Xin, China
Li Xuerui, China
The Wangs are not related.
Doubles
Wang Xiaoli & Yu Yang, China
Tian Qing & Zhao Yunlei, China
Ha Jung-eun & Kim Min-jung, South Korea
China swept the golds at 2011 worlds.
Men and Women
Mixed Doubles
Zhang Nan & Zhao Yunlei, China
Ma Jin & Xu Chen, China
Tontowi Ahmad & Liliyana Natsir, Indonesia
Chris Adcock and Imogen Bankier could win a medal for Britain.
BASKETBALL
Men
U.S.
Spain
Lithuania
The U.S. won its eight games in Beijing by an average of 27.9 points.
Women
U.S.
Australia
Czech Republic
The U.S. won its eight games in Beijing by an average of 37.6 points.
BOXING
49 kg (108 pounds)
Zou Shiming, China
Shin Jong-hun, South Korea
David Ayrapetyan, Russia
Jantony Ortiz Marcano, Puerto Rico
Zou has studied French cuisine.
52 kg (114 pounds)
Misha Aloyan, Russia
Rau'shee Warren, U.S.
Nordine Oubaali, France
Andrew Selby, Great Britain
Warren is the first U.S. boxer to make three Olympic teams.
56 kg (123 pounds)
Lazaro Alvarez Estrada, Cuba
Luke Campbell, Great Britain
John Joe Nevin, Ireland
Mohamed Amine Ouadahi, Algeria
Nevin beat his cousin Michael to win the Irish nationals.
60 kg (132 pounds)
Vasyl Lomachenko, Ukraine
Yasniel Toledo Lopez, Cuba
Robson Conceicao, Brazil
Domenico Valentino, Italy
Lomachenko was voted outstanding boxer of the Beijing Games.
64 kg (141 pounds)
Everton Dos Santos Lopes, Brazil
Roniel Iglesias Sotolongo, Cuba
Denys Berinchyk, Ukraine
Daniyar Yeleussinov, Kazakhstan
Last year Lopes became the first Brazilian to win a world boxing title.
69 kg (152 pounds)
Taras Shelestyuk, Ukraine
Alexis Vastine, France
Myke Ribeiro de Carvalho, Brazil
Serik Sapiyev, Kazakhstan
In Beijing, penalties for pushing cost Vastine a spot in the final.
75 kg (165 pounds)
Evhen Khytrov, Ukraine
Soltan Migitinov, Azerbaijan
Abbos Atoev, Uzbekistan
Ryota Murata, Japan
Khytrov edged Murata, 24--22, to win the 2011 world championship.
81 kg (178 pounds)
Julio César La Cruz, Cuba
Oleksandr Gvozdyk, Ukraine
Egor Mekhontsev, Russia
Adilbek Niyazymbetov, Kazakhstan
World champ Cruz, just 22, is Cuba's captain.
91 kg (201 pounds)
Oleksandr Usyk, Ukraine
Teymur Mammadov, Azerbaijan
Jose Gomez, Cuba
Tervel Pulev, Bulgaria
Usyk went down a class to win Euros in '08, then won 2011 worlds at 91 kg.
91+ kg (more than 201 pounds)
Anthony Joshua, Great Britain
Magomedrasul Majidov, Azerbaijan
Roberto Cammarelle, Italy
Erislandy Savon Cotilla, Cuba
Joshua ran the 100 meters in 11 seconds in high school.
Women
51 kg (112 pounds)
Ren Cancan, China
Nicola Adams, Great Britain
Mary Kom, India
Karolina Michalczuk, Poland
Adams has been an extra in British soaps.
60 kg (132 pounds)
Katie Taylor, Ireland
Sofya Ochigava, Russia
Natasha Jonas, Great Britain
Quanitta Lee (Queen) Underwood, U.S.
Taylor played for the Irish soccer team.
75 kg (165 pounds)
Savannah Marshall, Great Britain
Claressa Shields, U.S.
Nadezda Torlopova, Russia
Elena Vystropova, Azerbaijan
The quiet Marshall is known as the Silent Assassin.
CANOE/KAYAK (FLATWATER)
Men
Canoe singles, 200 meters
Valentin Demyanenko, Azerbaijan
Alfonso Benavides, Spain
Ivan Shtyl, Russia
All sprint events have been shortened from 500 meters to 200.
Canoe singles, 1,000 meters
Sebastian Brendel, Germany
Attila Vajda, Hungary
Mark Oldershaw, Canada
Five Oldershaws from three generations have paddled at the Games.
Canoe doubles, 1,000 meters
Alexandru Dumitrescu & Victo Mihalachi, Romania
Peter Kretschmer & Kurt Kuschela, Germany
Aleksandr Bogdanovich & Andrei Bogdanovich, Belarus
The Brothers Bogdanovich rallied for 2008 gold at 500 meters.
Kayak singles, 200 meters
Ed McKeever, Great Britain
Piotr Siemionowski, Poland
Marko Novakovic, Serbia
McKeever will soon qualify as a chartered accountant.
Kayak singles, 1,000 meters
Max Hoff, Germany
Adam Van Koeverden, Canada
Rene Poulsen, Denmark
Van Koeverden trains at a retreat with no plumbing or electricity.
Kayak doubles, 200 meters
Liam Heath & Jon Schofield, Great Britain
Arnaud Hybois & Sebastien Jouve, France
Alexander Dyachenko & Yury Postrigay, Russia
Ex-bartender Heath can mix 150 cocktails.
Kayak doubles, 1,000 meters
Rudolf Dombi & Roland K√∂kény, Hungary
Peter Gelle & Erik Vicek, Slovakia
Martin Hollstein & Andreas Ihle, Germany
Hollstein and Ihle were a new pair when they won in Beijing.
Kayak fours, 1,000 meters
Denmark
Australia
Germany
The unheralded Danes were surprise European champs last month.
Women
Kayak singles, 200 meters
Natasa Douchev-Janics, Hungary
Lisa Carrington, New Zealand
Marta Walczykiewicz, Poland
When Carrington was seven, her dad told her she'd be an Olympian.
Kayak singles, 500 meters
Kathrin Wagner-Augustin, Germany
Danuta Kozak, Hungary
Rachel Cawthorn, Great Britain
Wagner-Augustin is seeking gold in her fourth straight Games.
Kayak doubles, 500 meters
Katalin Kovàcs & Natasa Douchev-Janics, Hungary
Beata Mikolajczyk & Karolina Naja, Poland
Volha Khudzenka & Maryna Pautaran, Belarus
Douchev-Janics skipped the 2011 season to have a daughter, Milana.
Kayak fours, 500 meters
Germany
Hungary
Belarus
Germany and Hungary have finished one-two at the last four Olympics.
CANOE/KAYAK (WHITEWATER)
Men
Canoe singles, slalom
Tony Estanguet, France
Michal Martikàn, Slovakia
David Florence, Great Britain
Estanguet and his brother designed a whitewater course in the Pyrenees.
Canoe doubles, slalom
Pavol Hochschorner & Peter Hochschorner, Slovakia
Gauthier Klauss & Matthieu Péché, France
David Florence & Richard Hounslow, Great Britain
The Hochschorner twins are three-time world champs.
Kayak singles, slalom
Peter Kauzer, Slovenia
Etienne Daille, France
Daniele Molmenti, Italy
Kauzer prefers extreme river kayaking.
Women
Kayak singles, slalom
Corinna Kuhnle, Austria
Jana Dukàtovà, Slovakia
Maialen Chourraut, Spain
Kuhnle won world titles in 2010 and '11.
CYCLING
Men
Individual time trial
Fabian Cancellara, Switzerland
Bradley Wiggins, Great Britain
Tony Martin, Germany
World federation nixed YouTube--fed claim that Cancellara had a battery-boosted bike.
Road race
Mark Cavendish, Great Britain
Tom Boonen, Belgium
Phillippe Gilbert, Belgium
Cavendish hails from the Isle of Man.
Keirin
Chris Hoy, Great Britain
Teun Mulder, Netherlands
Maximillian Levy, Germany
In Beijing, Hoy became the first Brit since 1908 to win three golds.
Omnium
Glenn O'Shea, Australia
Shane Archbold, New Zealand
Zach Bell, Canada
Michael Freiberg, last year's world champ, didn't make the Australian team.
Sprint
Grégory Baugé, France
Chris Hoy, Great Britain
Jason Kenny, Great Britain
Baugé was stripped of his 2011 world title because he missed a doping test.
Team sprint
Australia
France
Great Britain
Australia missed a bronze by .008 of a second in '08.
Team pursuit
Great Britain
Australia
New Zealand
The Brits crushed runner-up Denmark by nearly seven seconds in Beijing.
Mountain bike
Jaroslav Kulhavy, Czech Republic
Nino Schurter, Switzerland
Julien Absalon, France
In a 2011 accident, a pickup truck knocked out several of Kulhavy's teeth.
BMX
Sam Willoughby, Australia
Joris Daudet, France
Maris Strombergs, Latvia
Willoughby slept on floors and couches in California while learning the sport.
Women
Individual time trial
Judith Arndt, Germany
Emma Pooley, Great Britain
Linda Villumsen, New Zealand
Defending champ Kristen Armstrong of the U.S. will contend.
Road race
Giorgia Bronzini, Italy
Marianne Vos, Netherlands
Ina-Yoko Teutenberg, Germany
Bronzini is known for facial piercings, spiked hair and a killer sprint.
Keirin
Anna Meares, Australia
Victoria Pendleton, Great Britain
Ekaterina Gnidenko, Russia
Meares fractured vertebrae in an '08 crash.
Omnium
Tara Whitten, Canada
Laura Trott, Great Britain
Sarah Hammer, U.S.
Hammer holds the world record in the pursuit.
Sprint
Victoria Pendleton, Great Britain
Anna Meares, Australia
Simona Krupeckaite, Lithuania
Pendleton has nine world titles and 16 world or Olympic medals.
Team sprint
Australia
Germany
China
Australia led all nations with 15 total medals at worlds in Melbourne in April.
Team pursuit
Great Britain
Australia
Canada
Women's team pursuit and team sprint events are new in 2012.
Mountain bike
Catharine Pendrel, Canada
Maja Wloszczowska, Poland
Julie Bresset, France
As a teen, Pendrel was an equestrienne.
BMX
Sarah Walker, New Zealand
Magalie Pottier, France
Mariana Pajón, Colombia
Walker started BMX after her brother bet her $5 she couldn't do a jump.
DIVING
Men
3-meter springboard
He Chong, China
Qin Kai, China
Ilya Zakharov, Russia
He is a fan of British soccer; Qin prefers the Los Angeles Lakers.
3-meter synchronized springboard
Luo Yutong & Qin Kai, China
Illya Kvasha & Oleksiy Prygorov, Ukraine
Evgeny Kuznetsov & Ilya Zakharov, Russia
Four-time Olympian Troy Dumais could challenge with partner Kristian Ipsen.
10-meter platform
Qiu Bo, China
Tom Daley, Great Britain
Lin Yue, China
Daley's coach taunted Qiu on Twitter this year.
10-meter synchronized platform
Lin Yue & Qiu Bo, China
Tom Daley & Peter Waterfield, Great Britain
Patrick Hausding & Sascha Klein, Germany
Hausding and Klein won silver in 2008.
Women
3-meter springboard
He Zi, China
Wu Minxia, China
Tania Cagnotto, Italy
Cagnotto suffered multiple fractures when a car hit her scooter in 2011.
3-meter synchronized springboard
He Zi & Wu Minxia, China
Tania Cagnotto & Francesca Dallape, Italy
Kelci Bryant & Abby Johnston, U.S.
China swept all 10 diving golds at the 2011 worlds.
10-meter platform
Chen Ruolin, China
Paola Espinosa, Mexico
Hu Yadan, China
1988 Cy Young winner Frank Viola's daughter Brittany will dive for the U.S.
10-meter synchronized platform
Chen Ruolin & Wang Hao, China
Paola Espinosa & Alejandra Orozco, Mexico
Meaghan Benfeito & Roseline Filion, Canada
Espinosa was Mexico's flag bearer in 2008.
EQUESTRIAN
Individual dressage
Adelinde Cornelissen, Netherlands
Isabell Werth, Germany
Laura Bechtolsheimer, Great Britain
LDutch rider Anky van Grunsven is in her seventh Games.
Team dressage
Germany
Netherlands
Denmark
German star Werth has her own equestrian video game.
Individual three-day event
William Fox-Pitt, Great Britain
Andrew Nicholson, New Zealand
Michael Jung, Germany
Fox-Pitt's middle name is Speed Lane.
Team three-day event
Great Britain
Germany
Australia
Britain's team includes Zara Phillips, the Queen's granddaughter.
Individual show jumping
Rolf-Göran Bengtsson, Sweden
Kevin Staut, France
Eric Lamaze, Canada
Lamaze missed '96 Games because of a later-overturned cocaine suspension.
Team show jumping
Germany
France
Belgium
The U.S. could leap onto the medal stand.
FENCING
Men
Individual épée
Bas Verwijlen, Netherlands
Fabian Kauter, Switzerland
Paulo Pizzo, Italy
Princeton grad Soren Thompson could reach the podium for the U.S.
Individual foil
Andrea Cassara, Italy
Valerio Aspromonte, Italy
Peter Joppich, Germany
Brooklynite Race Imboden, a lanky lefty like Cassara, could medal.
Team foil
Italy
China
France
Italians hold the top three spots in the world individual rankings.
Individual sabre
Alexey Yakimenko, Russia
Rares Dumitrescu, Romania
Nicholas Limbach, Germany
Limbach's sister, Anna, was a world junior champion.
Team sabre
Russia
Germany
Romania
The U.S. took a surprise silver in Beijing.
Women
Individual épée
Li Na, China
Anca Maroiu, Romania
Luo Xiaojuan, China
The 5'10" Li was first a basketball player.
Team épée
China
Romania
Russia
This event returns after being out of the 2008 Games.
Individual foil
Valentina Vezzali, Italy
Nam Hyun-hee, South Korea
Lee Kiefer, U.S.
Kiefer won world bronze last year at age 17.
Team foil
Italy
Russia
South Korea
Italian leader Vezzali has 13 world and five Olympic titles.
Individual sabre
Mariel Zagunis, U.S.
Olga Kharlan, Ukraine
Sofiya Velikaya, Russia
Zagunis, the daughter of 1976 Olympic rowers, is a two-time champ.
FIELD HOCKEY
Men
Australia
Germany
Netherlands
Aussie complaints about early start times forced schedule changes in London.
Women
Argentina
Netherlands
Great Britain
A rising U.S. team beat Argentina at '11 Pan-Am Games.
ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS
Men
Team
Japan
China
U.S.
China ran away with the 2008 title, winning by more than seven points.
Individual all-around
Kohei Uchimura, Japan
John Orozco, U.S.
Daniel Purvis, Great Britain
Orozco had three background roles in Law & Order.
Floor exercise
Diego Hypólito, Brazil
Zou Kai, China
Kohei Uchimura, Japan
Hypólito's sister, Daniele, won Brazil's first world medal in 2001.
Pommel horse
Louis Smith, Great Britain
Krisztiàn Berki, Hungary
Teng Haibin, China
Smith tried out for the British X Factor.
Rings
Chen Yibing, China
Aleksandr Balandin, Russia
Koji Yamamuro, Japan
Chen won in '08 with near flawless routine.
Vault
Yang Hak-seon, South Korea
Flavius Koczi, Romania
Denis Ablyazin, Russia
Yang's handspring front triple-full is unmatched.
Parallel bars
Feng Zhe, China
Danell Leyva, U.S.
Kazuhito Tanaka, Japan
Cuban-born Leyva is coached by his stepdad.
Horizontal bar
Zou Kai, China
Fabian Hambüchen, Germany
Emin Garibov, Russia
Zou won gold in Beijing despite a misstep.
Women
Team
U.S.
Romania
Russia
U.S. handily won the title at 2011 worlds.
Individual all-around
Jordyn Wieber, U.S.
Gabby Douglas, U.S.
Viktoria Komova, Russia
Wieber would be third straight American woman to win Olympics but not U.S. trials.
Vault
McKayla Maroney, U.S.
Sandra Izbasa, Romania
Oksana Chusovitina, Germany
Top Brazilian Jade Barbosa was left off her team in sponsorship squabble.
Uneven bars
Viktoria Komova, Russia
Huang Qiushuang, China
Gabby Douglas, U.S.
Britain's two-time world bars champ, Beth Tweedle, is the home favorite at age 27.
Balance beam
Sui Lu, China
Cätälina Ponor, Romania
Larisa Iordache, Romania
Now 20, Sui nearly quit after not making the national team in 2008.
Floor exercise
Larisa Iordache, Romania
Aly Raisman, U.S.
Lauren Mitchell, Australia
Some in Romania call Iordache, 16, the new Nadia.
RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS
Individual
Yevgeniya Kanayeva, Russia
Alexandra Merkulova, Russia
Aliya Garayeva, Azerbaijan
Olympic champ Kanayeva swept every individual event at 2011 worlds.
Group
Russia
Belarus
Italy
Italy edged Russia by .3 at worlds.
TRAMPOLINE
Men
Dong Dong, China
Lu Chunlong, China
Masaki Ito, Japan
Dong defeated Lu at the London test event.
Women
He Wenna, China
Karen Cockburn, Canada
Huang Shanshan, China
Cockburn is married to former training partner Mathieu Turgeon.
JUDO
Men
60 kg (132 pounds)
Rishod Sobirov, Uzbekistan
Hiroaki Hiraoka, Japan
Ilgar Mushkiyev, Azerbaijan
Georgii Zantaraia, Ukraine
Sobirov was world's top judoka last year.
66 kg (145 pounds)
Masashi Ebinuma, Japan
Musa Mogushkov, Russia
Leandro Cunha, Brazil
Tsagaanbaatar Khashbaatar, Mongolia
World No. 1 Alim Gadanov was left off Russian team.
73 kg (160.5 pounds)
Wang Ki-chun, South Korea
Riki Nakaya, Japan
Dex Elmont, Netherlands
Ugo Legrand, France
Wang is 32--0 since a first-round loss at 2011 worlds.
81 kg (178 pounds)
Kim Jae-bum, South Korea
Leandro Guilheiro, Brazil
Elnur Mammadli, Azerbaijan
Takahiro Nakai, Japan
Kim lost '08 gold bout in the final minute.
90 kg (198 pounds)
Ilias Iliadis, Greece
Masashi Nishiyama, Japan
Dilshod Choriev, Uzbekistan
Asley Gonàlez, Cuba
Iliadis's cousin Zurab Zviaduri won gold in 2004 for Georgia.
100 kg (220 pounds)
Maxim Rakov, Kazakhstan
Tagir Khaybulaev, Russia
Takamasa Anai, Japan
Henk Grol, Netherlands
Rakov missed Beijing with a bad shoulder, but won worlds in 2009.
100+ kg (more than 220 pounds)
Teddy Riner, France
Aleksandr Mikhailine, Russia
Rafael Silva, Brazil
Andreas Toelzer, Germany
Riner was born on the island of Guadeloupe, a French territory.
Women
48 kg (105.5 pounds)
Sarah Menezes, Brazil
Tomoko Fukumi, Japan
Alina Dumitru, Romania
Charline van Snick, Belgium
Injury knocked out 2011 world champion Haruna Asami of Japan.
52 kg (114.5 pounds)
Misato Nakamura, Japan
Bundmaa Munkhbaatar, Mongolia
Soraya Haddad, Algeria
Erika Miranda, Brazil
Japan left 2010 world champ Yuka Nishida home.
57 kg (125.5 pounds)
Kaori Matsumoto, Japan
Telma Monteiro, Portugal
Corina Caprioriu, Romania
Rafaela Silva, Brazil
Matsumoto wants to become a pastry chef.
63 kg (138.5 pounds)
Gévrise Émane, France
Yoshie Ueno, Japan
Xu Lili, China
Urska Zolnir, Slovenia
The Cameroon-born Émane won two world championships at 70 kg.
70 kg (154 pounds)
Lucie Décosse, France
Haruka Tachimoto, Japan
Edith Bosch, Netherlands
Chen Fei, China
Décosse won her first world title in 2005 in the 63-kg class.
78 kg (172 pounds)
Akari Ogata, Japan
Kayla Harrison, U.S.
Mayra Aguiar, Brazil
Audrey Tcheumeo, France
The U.S. has never won Olympic judo gold.
78+ kg (more than 172 pounds)
Tong Wen, China
Mika Sugimoto, Japan
Elena Ivashchenko, Russia
Idalys Ortíz, Cuba
Tong's 2009 doping ban was overturned and blamed on tainted Chinese pork.
MODERN PENTATHLON
Men
Aleksander Lesun, Russia
Riccardo De Luca, Italy
Andrei Moiseev, Russia
Two-athletes-per-country limit kept out Russia's former world champion Ilia Frolov.
Women
Laura Asadauskaite, Lithuania
Mhairi Spence, Great Britain
Lena Schöneborn, Germany
World champ Spence nearly retired after being left off 2008 team.
ROWING
Men
Single sculls
Ondrej Synek, Czech Republic
Mahe Drysdale, New Zealand
Alan Campbell, Great Britain
Drysdale won five world titles after switching from the fours after Athens.
Double sculls
Nathan Cohen & Joseph Sullivan, New Zealand
Scott Brennan & David Crawshay, Australia
Iztok Cop & Luka Spik, Slovenia
Nine current Kiwis have won world titles.
Lightweight double sculls
Peter Taylor & Storm Uru, New Zealand
Mark Hunter & Zac Purchase, Great Britain
Eleftherios Konsolas & Panagiotis Magdanis, Greece
Uru has earned degrees from Cambridge in chemistry and finance.
Quadruple sculls without cox
Croatia
Germany
Australia
Croatia has never won a rowing gold.
Pairs without cox
Hamish Bond & Eric Murray, New Zealand
David Calder & Scott Frandsen, Canada
Apostolos Gkountoulas & Nikolaos Gkountoulas, Greece
Bond & Murray are three-time world champs.
Fours without cox
Great Britain
Australia
Greece
Brits have a streak of three straight golds.
Lightweight fours without cox
Denmark
Australia
Switzerland
Danes have won three of last four titles.
Eights
Germany
Canada
Great Britain
A retooled U.S. team may nab a bronze.
Women
Single sculls
Mirka Knapkova, Czech Republic
Zhang Xiuyun, China
Natalya Mustafayeva, Azerbaijan
Knapkova faded to fifth in the Beijing final.
Double sculls
Katherine Grainger & Anna Watkins, Great Britain
Kim Crow & Brooke Pratley, Australia
Wang Min & Zhu Weiwei, China
Crow will also row single sculls, a rare double.
Lightweight double sculls
Christina Giazitzidou & Alexandra Tsiavou, Greece
Katherine Copeland & Sophie Hosking, Great Britain
Anne Lolk & Juliane Elander Rasmussen, Denmark
Greeks were 2011 female crew of the year.
Quadruple sculls without cox
Germany
U.S.
Ukraine
China ended the German winning streak at five in Beijing.
Pairs without cox
Helen Glover & Heather Stanning, Great Britain
Juliette Haigh & Rebecca Scown, New Zealand
Kate Hornsey & Sarah Tait, Australia
Glover was a top-level field hockey player.
Eights
U.S.
Canada
Netherlands
Unbeaten since 2006, U.S. set a world best in May.
SAILING
Men
RS: X (sailboard)
Dorian van Rijsselberge, Netherlands
Przemyslaw Miarczy´nski, Poland
Jon Paul Tobin, New Zealand
Tobin finished fifth at 2011 worlds despite a sting from a cobbler fish.
Laser (one-person dinghy)
Tom Slingsby, Australia
Andrew Murdoch, New Zealand
Paul Goodison, Great Britain
Slingsby has five world titles but was 22nd in Beijing.
Finn (heavyweight dinghy)
Ben Ainslie, Great Britain
Jonas Hoegh-Christensen, Denmark
Zach Railey, U.S.
Ainslie has an Olympic gold and silver in Laser and two golds in Finn.
470 (two-person dinghy)
Mat Belcher & Malcolm Page, Australia
Stuart Bithell & Luke Patience, Great Britain
Šime Fantela & Igor Marenic, Croatia
Belcher earned his taekwondo black belt at age 10.
Star (keelboat)
Bruno Prada & Robert Scheidt, Brazil
Fredrik Lööf & Max Salminen, Sweden
Ian Percy & Andrew Simpson, Great Britain
Brazil has won more medals in sailing than in any other sport.
Women
RS: X (sailboard)
Lee Korzits, Israel
Marina Alabau, Spain
Zofia Noceti-Klepacka, Poland
Korzits is the only Israeli to have won three world titles in any sport.
Laser radial (one-person dinghy)
Marit Bouwmeester, Netherlands
Evi Van Acker, Belgium
Alison Young, Great Britain
Paige Railey, Zach's younger sister, could medal here.
470 (two-person dinghy)
Berta Betanzos & Tara Pacheco, Spain
Saskia Clark & Hannah Mills, Great Britain
Ai Kondo & Wakako Tabata, Japan
Britain led all nations with six total medals at the 2011 worlds.
Elliott 6m (fixed keel, match race)
U.S.
Great Britain
France
U.S.'s Anna Tunnicliffe, a 2008 gold medalist, lived in England until age 12.
Open
49er (skiff)
Iain Jensen & Nathan Outteridge, Australia
Peter Burling & Blair Tuke, New Zealand
Peter Lang & Allan N√∏rregaard, Denmark
In Beijing, Otteridge capsized 100 meters from possible gold.
SHOOTING
Men
10-meter air rifle
Niccolo Campriani, Italy
Zhu Qinan, China
Pierre Edmond Piasecki, France
In 2010, Campriani became the first athlete in any sport to qualify for London.
50-meter rifle, prone
Sergei Martynov, Belarus
Wang Weiyi, China
Marco De Nicolo, Italy
Michael McPhail and Eric Uptagrafft of the U.S. have a chance.
50-meter rifle, three positions
Niccolo Campriani, Italy
Nemanja Mirosavljev, Serbia
Jason Parker, U.S.
Parker prevailed after three hours of rain delays at the U.S. trials.
10-meter air pistol
Tan Zongliang, China
Jin Jong-oh, South Korea
Tomoyuki Matsuda, Japan
China has won a medal all six times this event has been held at the Olympics.
25-meter rapid-fire pistol
Alexei Klimov, Russia
Christian Reitz, Germany
Ding Feng, China
Reitz led the prelims in Beijing but settled for bronze.
50-meter pistol
Damir Mikec, Serbia
Tomoyuki Matsuda, Japan
Zhang Tian, China
Matsuda ran and swam for his life to survive the 2011 tsunami in Japan.
Trap
Alexey Alipov, Russia
Massimo Fabbrizi, Italy
Alberto Fernandez, Spain
Alipov won gold in 2004 and bronze in '08.
Double trap
Joshua Richmond, U.S.
Peter Wilson, Great Britain
Vasily Mosin, Russia
Richmond's trap-shooter dad won him his first shotgun when Joshua was in the womb.
Skeet
Tore Brovold, Norway
Valeriy Shomin, Russia
Georgios Achilleos, Cyprus
U.S.'s Vincent Hancock beat Brovold in a shootout for the 2008 gold.
Women
10-meter air rifle
Yi Siling, China
Katerina Emmons, Czech Republic
Snjezana Pejcic, Croatia
Emmons (née Kurkova) is married to U.S. shooter Matt.
50-meter rifle, 3 positions
Barbara Engleder, Germany
Du Li, China
Sonja Pfeilschifter, Germany
Two-time Olympic champ Du took 30 months off to start a family.
10-meter air pistol
Zorana Arunovic, Serbia
Olena Kostevych, Ukraine
Tien Chia Chen, Taiwan
After winning in '04, Kostevych was 31st in '08.
25-meter pistol
Kim Jang-mi, South Korea
Chen Ying, China
Lenka Maruskova, Czech Republic
Chen's family kept her mother's cancer diagnosis from her until after she won in '08.
Trap
Liu Yingzi, China
Fatima Galvez, Spain
Zuzana Stefecekova, Slovakia
In the last three Games, nine countries have won medals in this event.
Skeet
Kimberly Rhode, U.S.
Wei Ning, China
Danka Bartekova, Slovakia
Four-time medalist Rhode designs and licenses her own Olympic pins.
SOCCER
Men
Brazil
Spain
Great Britain
Brazil has won five World Cups but never the Olympics.
Women
U.S.
Japan
Brazil
The U.S. avenges its 2011 World Cup loss.
SWIMMING
Men
50-meter freestyle
César Cielo, Brazil
Cullen Jones, U.S.
James Magnussen, Australia
Cielo was a 12-time All-America at Auburn.
100-meter freestyle
James Magnussen, Australia
James Roberts, Australia
César Cielo, Brazil
Magnussen (a.k.a. the Missile) has boldly predicted a world record for himself.
200-meter freestyle
Ryan Lochte, U.S.
Yannick Agnel, France
Paul Biedermann, Germany
Olympic champ Phelps qualified but opted out.
400-meter freestyle
Sun Yang, China
Park Tae-hwan, South Korea
Hao Yun, China
Park was the first Korean to win an Olympic swimming medal.
1,500-meter freestyle
Sun Yang, China
Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy
Park Tae-hwan, South Korea
Sun, 20, won this and the non-Olympic 800 free at 2011 worlds.
100-meter backstroke
Matt Grevers, U.S.
Ryosuke Irie, Japan
Camille Lacourt, France
Grevers's mom was an Olympic swimming hopeful in her native Netherlands..
200-meter backstroke
Ryan Lochte, U.S.
Ryosuke Irie, Japan
Tyler Clary, U.S.
Irie's world record in May '09 was rejected because he wore an unapproved suit.
100-meter breaststroke
Kosuke Kitajima, Japan
Felipe Silva, Brazil
Cameron van der Burgh, South Africa
World champ Alexander Dale Oen of Norway died in April.
200-meter breaststroke
Kosuke Kitajima, Japan
Tateishi Ryo, Japan
Daniel Gyurta, Hungary
Kitajima is the first swimmer to win both breaststrokes at two Olympics.
100-meter butterfly
Michael Phelps, U.S.
Milorad Cavic, Serbia
Tyler McGill, U.S.
Phelps beat Cavic in this race in Beijing by .01 of a second.
200-meter butterfly
Michael Phelps, U.S.
Takeshi Matsuda, Japan
Nick D'Arcy, Australia
Phelps has set the last eight world records.
200-meter individual medley
Michael Phelps, U.S.
Ryan Lochte, U.S.
Laszlo Cseh, Hungary
Phelps established eight straight world records, but Lochte has set the last two.
400-meter individual medley
Ryan Lochte, U.S.
Michael Phelps, U.S.
Kosuke Hagino, Japan
Phelps vowed after Beijing that he was done with this event.
4 √ó 100-meter freestyle relay
Australia
Russia
U.S.
U.S.'s 2008 relay hero, Jason Lezak, will swim in the prelims.
4 √ó 200-meter freestyle relay
U.S.
France
Australia
The U.S. has set 11 world records in this race since 1920.
4 √ó 100 medley relay
U.S.
Australia
Germany
U.S. has never lost this event at the Games.
Women
50-meter freestyle
Therese Alshammar, Sweden
Britta Steffen, Germany
Ranomi Kromowidjojo, Netherlands
In 2011, Alshammar, 33, became the oldest female swimmer to win a world title.
100-meter freestyle
Ranomi Kromowidjojo, Netherlands
Sarah Sjöström, Sweden
Jeanette Ottesen, Denmark
Britain's Fran Halsall could win a medal.
200-meter freestyle
Allison Schmitt, U.S.
Camille Muffat, France
Sarah Sjöström, Sweden
Rising star Schmitt trains under Phelps's coach, Bob Bowman.
400-meter freestyle
Camille Muffat, France
Rebecca Adlington, Great Britain
Federica Pellegrini, Italy
After winning the 400 and 800 in Beijing, Adlington received an OBE from the Queen.
800-meter freestyle
Rebecca Adlington, Great Britain
Lotte Friis, Denmark
Katie Ledecky, U.S.
At 15, Ledecky is the U.S. team's youngest member.
100-meter backstroke
Anastasia Zueva, Russia
Missy Franklin, U.S.
Zhao Jing, China
Franklin is a dual citizen because of her Canadian-born parents.
200-meter backstroke
Missy Franklin, U.S.
Belinda Hocking, Australia
Anastasia Zueva, Russia
Last year, Franklin won five world medals at age 16.
100-meter breaststroke
Rebecca Soni, U.S.
Breeja Larson, U.S.
Leiston Pickett, Australia
Larson stunned Soni at the U.S. trials.
200-meter breaststroke
Rebecca Soni, U.S.
Satomi Suzuki, Japan
Micah Lawrence, U.S.
Soni underwent heart surgery in 2006.
100-meter butterfly
Dana Vollmer, U.S.
Sarah Sjöström, Sweden
Lu Ying, China
Vollmer underwent heart surgery in 2003.
200-meter butterfly
Natsumi Hoshi, Japan
Jiao Liuyang, China
Ellen Gandy, Great Britain
Gandy lives and trains in Melbourne—site of the 1956 Olympics.
200-meter individual medley
Stephanie Rice, Australia
Ye Shiwen, China
Alicia Coutts, Australia
Rice won three golds in world-record times in Beijing.
400-meter individual medley
Elizabeth Beisel, U.S.
Hannah Miley, Great Britain
Li Xuanxu, China
In Beijing, Beisel became Rhode Island's first Olympic swimmer since 1964.
4 √ó 100-meter freestyle relay
Australia
U.S.
Netherlands
U.S. great Natalie Coughlin will swim in prelims—her only event in London.
4 √ó 200-meter freestyle relay
Australia
U.S.
China
Australia ended the U.S.'s three-Games winning streak in Beijing.
4 √ó 100 medley relay
U.S.
Australia
China
The U.S. and Australia have two golds and two silvers each since 1996.
OPEN WATER
Men's 10K
Thomas Lurz, Germany
Spyridon Gianniotis, Greece
Alex Meyer, U.S.
Lurz swam in the 1,500 free in 2004.
Women's 10K
Keri-Anne Payne, Great Britain
Martina Grimaldi, Italy
Ana Marcela Cunha, Brazil
Payne was born in South Africa.
SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING
Duet
Natalia Ishchenko & Svetlana Romashina, Russia
Huang Xuechen & Liu Ou, China
Ona Carbonell & Andrea Fuentes, Spain
Romashina recovered from a hernia operation to win 2011 worlds.
Team
Russia
China
Spain
Russians have won three straight.
TABLE TENNIS
Men
Singles
Zhang Jike, China
Wang Hao, China
Timo Boll, Germany
In 2004, then 16-year-old Zhang was kicked off China's team for bad behavior.
Team
China
Germany
South Korea
New team event replaces doubles.
Women
Singles
Ding Ning, China
Li Xiaoxia, China
Kasumi Ishigawa, Japan
China has won 20 of the 24 golds ever awarded in Olympic table tennis.
Team
China
Singapore
Japan
Still an independent team, Hong Kong could grab a medal.
TAEKWONDO
Men
58 kg (128 pounds)
Yulis Mercedes, Dominican Republic
Joel Gonzalez, Spain
Tamer Bayoumi, Egypt
Wei Chen-yang, Taiwan
Mercedes lost by judge's decision after battling to a draw in the Beijing final.
68 kg (150 pounds)
Servet Tazegül, Turkey
Rohullah Nikpai, Afghanistan
Idulio Islas, Mexico
Mohammad Bagheri Motamed, Iran
New Zealand's Logan Campbell opened a legal brothel to fund his training.
80 kg (176 pounds)
Yousef Karami, Iran
Steven Lopez, U.S.
Ramin Azizov, Azerbaijan
Mauro Sarmiento, Italy
Lopez will become the sport's first four-time medalist.
80+ kg (more than 176 pounds)
Akmal Irgashev, Uzbekistan
Bahri Tanrikulu, Turkey
Cha Dong-min, South Korea
Liu Xiaobo, China
A different South Korean has won this class at each Olympics.
Women
49 kg (108 pounds)
Wu Jingyu, China
Yang Shu-chun, Taiwan
Sanaa Atabrour, Morocco
Brigitte Yague, Spain
Wu outpointed foes 20--1 to win in Beijing.
57 kg (126 pounds)
Hou Yuzhuo, China
Jade Jones, Great Britain
Bineta Diedhiou, Senegal
Diana Lopez, U.S.
Three Lopez siblings all won medals in '08.
67 kg (148 pounds)
Sarah Stevenson, Great Britain
Hwang Kyung-seon, South Korea
Helena Fromm, Germany
Karine Sergerie, Canada
Sergerie practiced only karate until 13.
67+ kg (more than 148 pounds)
Gwladys Epangue, France
Maria Espinoza, Mexico
Natalia Falàvigna, Brazil
Lee In-jong, South Korea
Nadin Dawani could become Jordan's first Olympic medalist.
TEAM HANDBALL
Men
Denmark
France
Spain
European teams have won 32 of 33 Olympic handball medals.
Women
Norway
France
Russia
Denmark won three straight golds until Norway won in 2008.
TENNIS
Men
Singles
Roger Federer, Switzerland
Rafael Nadal, Spain
Andy Murray, Great Britain
Federer's only gold came in doubles in '08.
Doubles
Bob Bryan & Mike Bryan, U.S.
Mariusz Fyrstenberg & Marcin Matkowski, Poland
Jonathan Erlich & Andy Ram, Israel
The Bryans won bronze in Beijing.
Women
Singles
Serena Williams, U.S.
Victoria Azarenka, Belarus
Sabine Lisicki, Germany
Williams just won her fifth singles title at Wimbledon, site of Olympic tennis.
Doubles
Serena Williams & Venus Williams, U.S.
Liezel Huber & Lisa Raymond, U.S.
Lucie Hradecka & Andrea Hlavackova, Czech Republic
The Williamses were 2000 and '08 champs.
Mixed
Doubles
Lisa Raymond & Mike Bryan, U.S.
Liezel Huber & Bob Bryan, U.S.
Sania Mirza & Leander Paes, India
Teams won't be set until July 31.
TRACK AND FIELD
Men
100 meters
Yohan Blake, Jamaica
Usain Bolt, Jamaica
Justin Gatlin, U.S.
Bolt warning: Cold and wet is not good weather for hamstrings.
200 meters
Usain Bolt, Jamaica
Yohan Blake, Jamaica
Wallace Spearmon, U.S.
Blake stunned Bolt in the 100 and 200 at the Jamaican trials.
400 meters
LaShawn Merritt, U.S.
Kirani James, Grenada
Tony McQuay, U.S.
Merritt has won eight of 11 finals since coming off a 21-month drug suspension.
800 meters
David Rudisha, Kenya
Mohammed Aman, Ethiopia
Abubaker Kaki, Sudan
Rudisha's father, Daniel, won silver in the 4 √ó 400 relay in 1968.
1,500 meters
Silas Kiplagat, Kenya
Asbel Kiprop, Kenya
Ayanleh Souleiman, Djibouti
Kiprop was moved up to gold in 2008 after Rashid Ramzi's drug disqualification.
3,000-meter steeplechase
Brimin Kipruto, Kenya
Ezekiel Kemboi, Kenya
Abel Mutai, Kenya
Kipruto won silver in 2004 and gold in '08.
5,000 meters
Dejen Gebremeskel, Ethiopia
Mo Farah, Great Britain
Hagos Gebrhiwet, Ethiopia
Somalia-born Farah trains in Oregon.
10,000 meters
Mo Farah, Great Britain
Kenenisa Bekele, Ethiopia
Wilson Kiprop, Kenya
Africans have won every medal since 1988.
Marathon
Wilson Kipsang, Kenya
Abel Kirui, Kenya
Ayele Abshero, Ethiopia
No Kenyan had won this race until Beijing.
110-meter hurdles
Liu Xiang, China
Aries Merritt, U.S.
Jason Richardson, U.S.
Injured Liu pulled out of his first heat in '08.
400-meter hurdles
Javier Culson, Puerto Rico
Dai Greene, Great Britain
Michael Tinsley, U.S.
Greene, who has epilepsy, once turned down a pro soccer contract.
4 √ó 100-meter relay
Jamaica
U.S.
Trinidad and Tobago
U.S. dropped the baton in the heats in '08.
4 √ó 400-meter relay
U.S.
Bahamas
Jamaica
Paralympian Oscar Pistorius will run for South African contenders.
20K walk
Valeriy Borchin, Russia
Wang Zhen, China
Luis Fernando López, Colombia
Borchin has won two world titles since his Beijing triumph.
50K walk
Sergey Bakulin, Russia
Si Tianfeng, China
Jared Tallent, Australia
Tallent's wife, Claire, was an Olympic race walker for Australia in 2008.
High jump
Ivan Ukhov, Russia
Andrey Silnov, Russia
Jesse Williams, U.S.
Williams was fifth at North Carolina's state high school wrestling tourney in 2002.
Long jump
Greg Rutherford, Great Britain
Sebastian Bayer, Germany
Mitchell Watt, Australia
An Achilles tendon injury shelved Olympic champ Dwight Phillips of the U.S.
Triple jump
Christian Taylor, U.S.
Phillips Idowu, Great Britain
Fabrizio Donato, Italy
Watch for world indoor champ Will Claye of the U.S.
Pole vault
Renaud Lavillenie, France
Björn Otto, Germany
Raphael Holzdeppe, Germany
A snapped pole broke Lavillenie's left hand last year.
Shot put
Reese Hoffa, U.S.
Dylan Armstrong, Canada
David Storl, Germany
Hoffa's PR on a Rubik's Cube is 38 seconds.
Discus
Virgilijus Alekna, Lithuania
Robert Harting, Germany
Gerd Kanter, Estonia
Alekna, 40, has two golds and a bronze.
Hammer throw
Krisztiàn Pars, Hungary
Sergej Litvinov, Russia
Pawel Fajdek, Poland
Pars finished fourth in 2008.
Javelin
Vítezslav Vesel√Ω, Czech Republic
Vadims Vasilevskis, Latvia
Oleksandr Pyatnytsya, Ukraine
Vasilevskis has carried the Latvian flag in two Olympic opening ceremonies.
Decathlon
Ashton Eaton, U.S.
Pascal Behrenbruch, Germany
Trey Hardee, U.S.
In June, Eaton upped the world record to 9,039 points.
Women
100 meters
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Jamaica
Carmelita Jeter, U.S.
Veronica Campbell-Brown, Jamaica
Jeter's brother Pooh played for the NBA's Sacramento Kings.
200 meters
Allyson Felix, U.S.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Jamaica
Veronica Campbell-Brown, Jamaica
Campbell-Brown edged Felix for gold in '04 and '08.
400 meters
Sanya Richards-Ross, U.S.
Antonina Krivoshapka, Russia
Amantle Montsho, Botswana
Botswana has not won an Olympic medal.
800 meters
Pamela Jelimo, Kenya
Caster Semenya, South Africa
Mariya Savinova, Russia
Jelimo kept her marriage secret from the Kenyan press until after she won in Beijing.
1,500 meters
Abeba Arigawe, Ethiopia
Genzebe Dibaba, Ethiopia
Mariem Selsouli, Morocco
Britain's best hope is...Hannah England.
3,000-meter steeplechase
Milcah Chemos Cheywa, Kenya
Sofia Assefa, Ethiopia
Habiba Ghribi, Tunisia
Cheywa attended police college.
5,000 meters
Vivian Cheruiyot, Kenya
Meseret Defar, Ethiopia
Sally Kipyego, Kenya
Cheruiyot swept the 5,000 and 10,000 at worlds in 2011.
10,000 meters
Tirunesh Dibaba, Ethiopia
Vivian Cheruiyot, Kenya
Belaynesh Oljira, Ethiopia
Dibaba is married to Olympic silver medalist Sileshi Sihine.
Marathon
Mary Keitany, Kenya
Edna Kiplagat, Kenya
Tiki Gelana, Ethiopia
No Kenyan woman has won an Olympic marathon.
100-meter hurdles
Sally Pearson, Australia
Brigitte Foster-Hylton, Jamaica
Kellie Wells, U.S.
Pearson ran a relay at worlds at age 16.
400-meter hurdles
Irina Davydova, Russia
Natalya Antyukh, Russia
Lashinda Demus, U.S.
Demus gave birth to twin boys in 2007.
4 √ó 100-meter relay
Jamaica
U.S.
Ukraine
U.S. has botched handing off the baton at the last two Olympics.
4 √ó 400-meter relay
U.S.
Russia
Jamaica
U.S. hasn't lost in this since 1992.
20K walk
Elmira Alembekova, Russia
Olga Kaniskina, Russia
Liu Hong, China
In Kaniskina's first race, she won a box of candy for finishing last.
High jump
Anna Chicherova, Russia
Svetlana Shkolina, Russia
Chaunté Lowe, U.S.
At age four Lowe asked her mother how to make an Olympic team.
Long jump
Brittney Reese, U.S.
Nastassia Mironchyk-Ivanova, Belarus
Yelena Sokolova, Russia
Reese donated 100 turkeys to feed the homeless in her Mississippi hometown.
Triple jump
Olha Saladuha, Ukraine
Caterine Ibargüen, Colombia
Olga Rypakova, Kazakhstan
Ibargüen has also high-jumped and long-jumped for Colombia.
Pole vault
Yelena Isinbayeva, Russia
Fabiana Murer, Brazil
Silke Spiegelburg, Germany
Two-time champ Isinbayeva was world sportswoman of the year in 2007 and '09.
Shot put
Valerie Adams, New Zealand
Nadezhda Ostapchuk, Belarus
Gong Lijiao, China
Adams's brother Steven is 7-feet tall and headed to Pitt to play basketball.
Discus
Darya Pishchalnikova, Russia
Sandra Perkovic, Croatia
Li Yanfeng, China
Perkovic was suspended for six months after failing two drug tests in 2011.
Hammer throw
Aksana Miankova, Belarus
Tatyana Lysenko, Russia
Betty Heidler, Germany
Heidler is on the police force border unit.
Javelin
Barbora ≈†potàkovà, Czech Republic
Sunette Viljoen, South Africa
Christina Obergföll, Germany
≈†potàkovà was a heptathlete in college at Minnesota.
Heptathlon
Jessica Ennis, Great Britain
Tatyana Chernova, Russia
Kristina Savitskaya, Russia
Ennis is already immortalized in wax at Madame Tussauds in London.
TRIATHLON
Men
Alistair Brownlee, Great Britain
Jonathan Brownlee, Great Britain
Javier Gomez, Spain
The Brothers Brownlee went one-three at last year's worlds.
Women
Nicola Spirig, Switzerland
Andrea Hewitt, New Zealand
Helen Jenkins, Great Britain
Jenkins married her coach in 2008 at Disney World.
VOLLEYBALL
Men
Indoor
Russia
Brazil
Poland
Hugh McCutcheon, who coached U.S. men to '08 gold, now leads U.S. women.
Beach
Phil Dalhausser & Todd Rogers, U.S.
Alison Cerutti & Emanuel Rego, Brazil
Jake Gibb & Sean Rosenthal, U.S.
The 6'9" Dalhausser is known as the Beijing Beast.
Women
Indoor
Brazil
U.S.
Russia
U.S. women have seven world and Olympic medals, but no gold.
Beach
Larissa França & Juliana Silva, Brazil
Xue Chen & Zhang Xi, China
Misty May-Treanor & Kerri Walsh, U.S.
May-Treanor and Walsh won 112 straight matches through 2008.
WATER POLO
Men
Croatia
Serbia
Italy
Don't rule out three-time defending champ Hungary.
Women
Australia
U.S.
China
U.S. women have always won a medal, but never a gold.
WEIGHTLIFTING
Men
56 kg (123 pounds)
Valentin Hristov, Azerbaijan
Wu Jingbiao, China
Tran Le Quoc Toan, Vietnam
Azerbaijan paid Bulgaria to let Hristov change his citizenship.
62 kg (136.5 pounds)
Zhang Jie, China
Kim Un-guk, North Korea
Erol Bilgin, Turkey
China was tops at worlds with 13 medals.
69 kg (152 pounds)
Lin Qingfeng, China
Won Jeong-sik, South Korea
Mete Binay, Turkey
World champ Tang Deshang was left off the Chinese team.
77 kg (169.5 pounds)
Lu Xiaojun, China
Sa Jae-hyouk, South Korea
Lu Haojie, China
Third after the snatch, Sa rallied for '08 gold.
85 kg (187 pounds)
Kianoush Rostami, Iran
Lu Yong, China
Andrei Rybakou, Belarus
Lu is China's only returning Olympic lifter.
94 kg (207 pounds)
Ilya Ilyin, Kazakhstan
Artem Ivanov, Ukraine
Anatoli Ciricu, Moldova
Ilyin trains in an Almaty sports complex named after him.
105 kg (231 pounds)
Khadzhimurat Akkayev, Russia
Dmitry Klokov, Russia
Jorge David Arroyo Valdez, Ecuador
Akkayev's birth city of Tyrnyauz was buried in a mudslide in 2001.
105+ kg (more than 231 pounds)
Behdad Salimi, Iran
Jeon Sang-guen, South Korea
Sajjad Anoushiravani, Iran
The Iranians went one-two at 2011 worlds.
Women
48 kg (105.5 pounds)
Wang Mingjuan, China
Panida Khamsri, Thailand
Nurdan Karagoz, Turkey
China left world champ Tian Yuan at home.
53 kg (116.5 pounds)
Zhou Jun, China
Zulfiya Chinshanlo, Kazakhstan
Hsu Shu-ching, Taiwan
The four Chinese women lifters at the Beijing Games all won gold.
58 kg (127.5 pounds)
Nastassia Novikava, Belarus
Li Xueying, China
Pimsiri Sirikaew, Thailand
Novikava edged Li at 2011 worlds.
63 kg (138.5 pounds)
Svetlana Tsarukayeva, Russia
Maiya Maneza, Kazakhstan
Sibel Simsek, Turkey
In Beijing, Tsarukayeva missed every lift.
69 kg (152 pounds)
Oksana Slivenko, Russia
Roxana Cocos, Romania
Huang Shih-hsu, Taiwan
Slivenko won silver in 2008.
75 kg (165 pounds)
Nadezda Yevstyukhina, Russia
Svetlana Podobedova, Kazhakstan
Lidia Valentin, Spain
Podobedova originally competed for Russia.
75+ kg (more than 165 pounds)
Zhou Lulu, China
Tatiana Kashirina, Russia
Mariam Usman, Nigeria
U.S.'s Holley Mangold is the sister of New York Jets' lineman Nick.
WRESTLING
Freestyle
Men
55 kg (121 pounds)
Radoslav Velikov, Bulgaria
Jamal Otarsultanov, Russia
Bayaraa Naranbaatar, Mongolia
Hassan Rahimi, Iran
Velikov was upset by Henry Cejudo of the U.S. in the semis in 2008.
60 kg (132 pounds)
Besik Kudukhov, Russia
Franklin Gómez, Puerto Rico
Zelimkhan Huseynov, Azerbaijan
Yowlis Rodríguez, Cuba
NCAA champ at Michigan State, Gómez trains under Cael Sanderson at Penn State.
66 kg (145 pounds)
Mehdi Taghavi Kermani, Iran
Sushil Kumar Solanki, India
Jabrayil Hasanov, Azerbaijan
Andriy Stadnik, Ukraine
Kumar is a railway manager and vegetarian.
74 kg (163 pounds)
Jordan Burroughs, U.S.
Sadegh Saeed Goudarzi, Iran
Ashraf Aliyev, Azerbaijan
Denis Tsargush, Russia
Burroughs's Twitter name is alliseeisgold.
84 kg (185 pounds)
Sharif Sharifov, Azerbaijan
Anzor Urishev, Russia
Jake Herbert, U.S.
Dato Marsagishvili, Georgia
Sharifov spoiled Cael Sanderson's comeback at 2011 worlds.
96 kg (211 pounds)
Reza Yazdani, Iran
Abdusalam Gadisov, Russia
Serhat Balci, Turkey
Jake Varner, U.S.
Nigeria's Sinivie Boltic is Africa's best hope for a wrestling medal.
120 kg (264 pounds)
Bilyal Makhov, Russia
Terval Dlagnev, U.S.
Ioannis Arzoumanidis, Greece
Alexei Shemarov, Belarus
Born in Bulgaria, Dlagnev grew up in Arlington, Texas.
Women
48 kg (105.5 pounds)
Hitomi Sakamoto, Japan
Carol Huynh, Canada
Zhuldyz Eshimova, Kazakhstan
Mariya Stadnyk, Azerbaijan
Huynh's parents were Vietnamese refugees.
55 kg (121 pounds)
Saori Yoshida, Japan
Ida-Theres Nerell, Sweden
Tetyana Lazereva, Ukraine
Tonya Verbeek, Canada
Yoshida was 177--1 until a loss in May.
63 kg (138.5 pounds)
Kaori Icho, Japan
Martine Dugrenier, Canada
Elena Pirozhkova, U.S.
Katerina Vidiaux, Cuba
Icho's sister Chiharu has two Olympic silvers.
72 kg (158.5 pounds)
Stanka Zlateva, Bulgaria
Wang Jiao, China
Ekaterina Bukina, Russia
Vasilisa Marzaliuk, Belarus
Stephany Lee was dropped from the U.S. team after a positive marijuana test.
Greco-Roman
55 kg (121 pounds)
Hamid Souryan Reihanpour, Iran
Rovshan Bayramov, Azerbaijan
Kohei Hasegawa, Japan
Bekkhan Mankiev, Russia
Five-time world champ Souryan was fifth in Beijing.
60 kg (132 pounds)
Luis Liendo, Venezuela
Almat Kebispayev, Kazakhstan
Zaur Kuramagomedov, Russia
Omid Haji Noroozi, Iran
Venezuela has one gold (boxing in '68) in Olympic history.
66 kg (145.5 pounds)
Saeid Mourad Abdvali, Iran
Pedro Isaac Mullen, Cuba
Manuchar Tskhadaia, Georgia
Kim Hyeon-woo, South Korea
U.S. entrant Justin Lester came out of retirement and could medal.
74 kg (163 pounds)
Roman Vlasov, Russia
Mark Madsen, Denmark
Selcuk Cebi, Turkey
Arsen Julfalakyan, Armenia
No Dane has won wrestling gold since 1906.
84 kg (185 pounds)
Damian Janikowski, Poland
Alim Selimau, Belarus
Nazmi Avluca, Turkey
Nenad Zugaj, Croatia
In 2008, Sweden's Ara Abrahamian lost a bronze after tossing the medal in protest.
96 kg (211.5 pounds)
Jimmy Lidberg, Sweden
Elis Guri, Bulgaria
Mohamed Abdelfatah, Egypt
Rustam Totrov, Russia
At 6'5", Lidberg is especially difficult to turn.
120 kg (264.5 pounds)
Mijaín López, Cuba
Riza Kayaalp, Turkey
Dremiel Byers, U.S.
Bashir Asgari Babajanzedah Darzi, Iran
Kayaalp beat an oddly smiling López at 2011 worlds.
Projected Medal Count
The U.S. retains the overall crown, with China once again close behind, but the home country adds the most—by far—to its haul from Beijing
COUNTRY | GOLD | SILVER | BRONZE | TOTAL | 2008 TOTAL |
U.S. | 42 | 26 | 31 | 99 | 110 (RANK: 1) |
CHINA | 42 | 30 | 25 | 97 | 100 (RANK: 2) |
RUSSIA | 28 | 23 | 28 | 79 | 73 (RANK: 3) |
GREAT BRITAIN | 23 | 23 | 19 | 65 | 47 (RANK: 4) |
GERMANY | 11 | 15 | 23 | 49 | 41 (RANK: T-6) |
AUSTRALIA | 16 | 13 | 11 | 40 | 46 (RANK: 5) |
JAPAN | 12 | 14 | 13 | 39 | 25 (RANK: 11) |
FRANCE | 8 | 15 | 9 | 32 | 41 (RANK: T-6) |
ITALY | 7 | 5 | 13 | 25 | 27 (RANK: T-9) |
SOUTH KOREA | 8 | 9 | 6 | 23 | 31 (RANK: 8) |
UKRAINE | 5 | 5 | 8 | 18 | 27 (RANK: T-9) |
1 U.S.
Story lines: World-record decathlete Ashton Eaton (above) adds gold to a track medal haul that complements U.S. success in swimming, gymnastics and hoops; fencer Mariel Zagunis and beach volleyballers Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh try to three-peat; shooter Kim Rhode aims for fifth straight medal.
Don't overlook: Women's teams in eights rowing (six-year winning streak), soccer (two straight golds), volleyball and water polo.
Hot button: Boxing team won just one medal (bronze) at '11 worlds.
Outlook: An appealing mix of old and new stars delivers another banner Games for the red, white and blue.
2 CHINA
Story lines: World champion Ye Shiwen (above), 16, helps make China a growing force in the pool; national icon Liu Xiang goes for the hurdles gold he missed out on because of injury in '08.
Don't miss: Diver Qiu Bo, who earned 25 perfect 10s at an international meet in 2011, giving him the highest platform score ever.
Hot button: Underage gymnasts? Not this time.
Outlook: Without home field advantage, China slips a bit from Beijing but continues to build strength in nearly every high-medal sport and challenge the U.S. in the overall standings.
3 RUSSIA
Story lines: Viktoria Komova (above) and Aliya Mustafina try to topple U.S. favorites in the gymnastics all-around; pole vault great Yelena Isinbayeva, back from a year off, goes for her third straight gold.
Don't miss: The world's putative best pound-for-pound wrestler, Besik Kudukhov, looking to avenge a shocking pre-Games loss to No.2--ranked Franklin Gómez of Puerto Rico.
Hot button: Three women runners banned in July for doping.
Outlook: The next Olympic host country builds medal-count momentum for Sochi 2014 with judo buff Vladimir Putin watching.
4 GREAT BRITAIN
Story lines: Chris Hoy (left, foreground), a 30-time world or Olympic medalist, leads a track cycling juggernaut; Somalian-born Mo Farah goes for a distance-running double; big Games for sailors, equestrians ... and Andy Murray?
Don't miss: Brothers Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee battling for triathlon supremacy; first all-Britain soccer team since '60.
Hot button: David Beckham and world No. 1 taekwondo athlete Aaron Cook were left off their respective teams.
Outlook: The last time London hosted, in 1948, Britain won only four golds; there will be lots more this time as the Brits outdo even their stellar showing in Beijing.
5 GERMANY
Story lines: Paddlers eye multiple medals in sprint canoe and kayak; open-water swimmer Thomas Lurz and eventing equestrian Hinrich Romeike shoot for gold; modern pentathlete Lena Schöneborn (right) tries to defend her Beijing title.
Don't miss: Uzbekistan-born gymnast Oksana Chusovitina, who could win a vault medal at age 37, two decades after making her Olympic debut in Barcelona with the post-Soviet Unified Team.
Long shot: Seven-time world and Olympic medalist Timo Boll dreams of ending the streak of four straight Asian champions in men's table tennis.
Outlook: Onetime power ends postreunification slide with uptick in medals.
6 AUSTRALIA
Story lines: Sprint swimming sensation James Magnussen (above), 20, a converted rugby player, makes waves along with IMer (and tabloid fave) Stephanie Rice; sailors and track cyclists eye multiple medals.
Don't miss: The world's No. 1 men's field hockey team (five straight medals), known as the Kookaburras.
Hot button: The women's basketball team has lost three straight Olympic finals to the U.S.
Outlook: Aussies aim for 50 medals but come up far short.
7 JAPAN
Story lines: Two-time 138.5-pound champ Kaori Icho (right) and mates could sweep all four women's wrestling weight classes; judo teams hoard medals, as always; Kosuke Kitajima, 29, tries to sweep men's breaststrokes for third straight Games.
Don't miss: Kohei Uchimura, the most dominant male gymnast of his era, who should win Japan's first all-around title since 1984.
Still going strong: At 71, equestrian rider Hiroshi Hoketsu, who first competed in the Olympics 48 years ago in Tokyo and is the third-oldest Olympian ever.
Outlook: With Tokyo bidding for the 2020 Summer Games, a strong showing could boost enthusiasm for the bid at home and within the IOC.
8 FRANCE
Story lines: Trio of possible judo winners includes 6'8", 306-pound Teddy Riner (above, right), who continues his domination of the sport (six consecutive world titles) at age 23; sprint hope is Christophe Lemaitre, who has broken 10 seconds for 100 meters; Yannick Agnel, 20, could shock U.S. favorite Ryan Lochte in the 200 freestyle.
Don't miss: Pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie, two-time European champ, who has a best of 19' 91/2."
Hot button: Trash-talking 4 √ó 100 relay swimmers from '08 still smarting from Jason Lezak's shut-'em-up U.S. anchor leg.
Outlook: Veteran team could surpass modest total of seven golds in Beijing.
9 ITALY
Story lines: Male fencers could sweep all three disciplines, but the team's star is women's foil specialist Valentina Vezzali (right), 38, who's trying to become the fourth athlete—after the U.S.'s Al Oerter (discus) and Carl Lewis (long jump) and Denmark's Paul Elvstr√∏m (sailing)—to win the same individual event at four straight Games.
Don't miss: Swimming diva Federica Pellegrini, the defending 200-freestyle champion and one of the sport's most colorful figures.
Long shot: Improving diver Tania Cagnotto jumps in against the mighty Chinese.
Outlook: Italy's Olympic spirits need a boost after Rome scrapped its bid to host the 2020 Games.
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HO/LOCOG/AFP PHOTO (MEDALS)
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BILL FRAKES
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CHEN FEI/XINHUA/ZUMAPRESS.COM
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ATSUSHI TOMURA/AFLO/ZUMAPRESS.COM
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MARK DADSWELL/GETTY IMAGES
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HARRY ENGELS/GETTY IMAGES
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DAVID MARIUZ/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
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KIYOSHI OTA/GETTY IMAGES
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ATSUHSI TOMURA/AFLO/ZUMAPRESS.COM
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IMRE FOLDI/EPA
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