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Join Date: Jul 2010
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Top Ten Athletes To Watch
Missy Franklin, Swimming (USA): Like any girl who just celebrated her sweet sixteen a year ago – she loves picking her prom dress, and worries about how her bandanna looks while she’s working out. Unlike others, she has size-13 feet, has earned high praise from Michael Phelps, and has earned a nickname “Missy, the Missile” – courtesy her three golds in 2011 World Championships. Given that her parents are Canadian, the Maple nation has reasons to feel, they’ve missed out.
Teddy Riner, Judo (France): At eighteen he was the youngest world champion in Judo, a year later he took home an Olympic bronze. By the time he was officially eligible to drink in USA, he had popped three champaigne bottles atop the podium for world judo championships. He now has six, and gold from London might just be the next one.
Sara Khoshjamal Fekry, Taekwondo (Iran): Her religious code requires strict adherence, so she wears a headscarf under her helmet. There’s never been a woman to compete in her discipline, so she competed with men, and broke their bones. Meet Sara Khoshjamal, the first female Olympian fromIran, and the decimator of odds. She won the Taekwondo bronze in 2010 Asian games and now her eyes are trained at a podium finish in London
Kohei Uchimura, Gymnastics (Japan): He won 2 silver medals in Beijing, and in 2011 created history by becoming the first gymnast to win 3 successive World Championships all-round titles (and the Longines Prize for Elegance at the 2011 Championships, to boot!). The Japanese man has been the most dominant gymnast in world scene since the last Olympics, and anything less than the top prize would be seen as a failure.
Rebecca Adlington, Swimming (UK): In one barnstorming week in 2008, she won gold in the 400-m freestyle, set a world record in the heats of the 800-m freestyle, and broke her own record to win the finals. Now, she is aiming to become the first British swimmer to win consecutive gold medals. Given her golden form in 2011 World Championships – it’s hard to look beyond her.
Nur Suryani Mohd Taibi, Shooting (Malaysia): The eagle-eyed markswoman from Malaysia might just become the poster-girl for diversity which Olympics celebrate. She’d be 34- weeks pregnant when she lines up for the 10m sharpshooting event in London. Now that’s head-turning alright!
Lin Dan, Badminton (China): Think John McEnroe of Badminton – temper tantrums, punching the coach in face, whirlwind affair with the country’s top female shuttler before marrying her, and headlines – always headlines. But four world championships and an Olympic gold in 2008 means he has talent to match. Bad boys play well too.
Kenenisa Bekele, Track & Field (Ethiopia): The most decorated of the pantheon of top class long distance runners from the country – he holds the World and Olympics records for 5000m, 10000m, won golds for both events in 2008 Olympics, and had an eight year unbeaten run from 2003-2011 for the 10000m event - best ever in IAAF records. Enough said.
Ryan Lochte, Swimming (USA): The only man faster in water than Michael “eight gold medals” Phelps since his record-setting run in Beijing Olympics. Lochte is a laidback, relaxed man with an easy smile, a fine counterpoint to Phelps intense persona. Yet, more often than not Phelps has had to admit he has a serious challenge from the Florida man. Oh, the wait for pure theater!
Yohan Blake, Track & Field (Jamaica): What Lochte can do in water, Blake can do on land. Like Phelps, Usain Bolt was the undisputed golden boy of track in Beijing clocking speeds seldom deemed possible. So when fellow Jamaican Blake beat him in 100m and 200m finals in Jamaica trials, the ‘king of track’ has reason to feel that his throne is threatened. Blake also won the 2011 World championships, though Bolt was disqualified. Let the games begin..
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