Top 10 Athletes To Watch at the Olympics

There are so many sports going on at the Summer Olympics, it's actually a tough decision to pick and choose which events you want to watch. However, if you know some of the most dominating athletes, you might have an easier time with your decision. Here are the Top 10 Athletes to watch at the 2012 Olympics in London:

#1 David Lekuta Rudisha
Country: Kenya
Event: 800m

 

Kenya's David Rudisha isn't just the world record holder in the 800m - he holds five of the ten fastest times in history. He was also the World Athlete of the Year in 2010. Unsurprisingly, David is the overwhelming favourite to capture the 800m gold in London and continue Kenya's domination in the running events.

#2 Usain St. Leo Bolt
Country: Jamaica
Event: 100m/200m/4x100m relay

Perhaps the most famous track and field athlete in the world today, the Jamaican sprinting phenomenon is expected by just about everybody to blow away everyone in London. Already holding the world records in all three events, Usain's only got himself to beat. He is the world's fastest man ever... has he become any faster?

#3 Nataliya Dobrynska
Country: Ukraine
Event: Heptathlon

Nataliya Dobrynska is the reigning Olympic champion in this crazy 7-in-1 event. Here is a list of all the events in the Heptathlon:

• 100 hurdles
• High Jump
• Shot Put
• 200m
• Long Jump
• Javelin Throw
• 800m

#4 Katie Taylor
Country: Ireland
Event: Boxing

The current Irish, European and World Champion, Katie is the poster-girl for women's boxing - an event included in the 2012 games for the first time. She's a clear favourite to take gold in a sport that she has dominated for years.

#5 Federica Pellegrini
Country: Italy
Event: 200m freestyle/400m freestyle

As well as being a sporting superstar in her home country, Italian Federica Pellegrini is like the Michael Phelps of the women swimmers. Federica holds world records in both distances, was the first woman to swim under 4 minutes for the 400m, won gold at the last two World Championships in both, and is the reigning Olympic champion in the 200m.

#6 Michael Phelps
Country: USA
Events: Mulitple individual and relay swimming events

Michael is a phenomenon. Winner of 14 Olympic gold medals, an all-time record - including eight in Beijing alone - and having set 39 world records in his career, he is by a long distance the best swimmer of his generation. But London 2012 might not entirely go Michael's way - in recent years, his fellow American Ryan Lochte has regularly beaten him, suggesting he will have a fight on his hands to add to his incredible collection of Olympic golds.

#7 Allyson Felix
Country: USA
Events: 100m/200m/400m/relays

Crossing across all the sprint distances, Allyson has been a consistently dominant performer for many years, winning multiple golds at the World Championships going back to 2005. The 200m is her strongest event - but her only Olympic gold to date has come in the 4x400m relay, having been beaten into silver in the 200m at both the 2004 and 2008 Olympics.

#8 Kenenisa Bekele Beyecha
Country: Ethiopia
Events: 5000m/10,000m

Kenenisa holds the current world records for both the 5000m and the 10,000m. He's also the reigning Olympic champion at both distances. And he won the 10,000m at the 2004 Olympics as well, in addition to multiple golds at the World Championships and other top events. He would be the clear favourite for London 2012 - except that a string of injuries have kept him out of competition for much of the last two years. He says he's now back to full fitness, and it should be a great competition against Britain's Mo Farah running in front of a home crowd.

#9 Yelena Isinbayeva
Country: Russia
Event: Pole vault

Probably the greatest female pole vaulter ever, Yelena won gold in the past two Olympic games and is the current world record holder.

#10 Mark Cavendish
Country: UK
Event: Men's Road Race

Mark was bitterly disappointed to be the only member of Britain's cycling team not to win a medal at the 2008 Olympics, after he felt that his track event - the madison - was sidelined by the team's management. But as winner of the 2011 Road World Championships, he is currently in the form of his life - and his nearly unbeatable sprinting prowess might make him the safest bet for the host country to take gold in London.

Have your say...

Who do you think is the #1 athlete to watch at the 2012 Olympics in London? Leave us your answer below in the comments...