US Olympic Swimming Trials 2012: 5 Under-the-Radar Swimmers to Watch

In the months leading up to the 2012 Summer Olympics, swimmers Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte have drawn most of the attention for the U.S. Olympic team.

But Phelps and Lochte aren’t far from the only ones on the U.S. team and there are more than a dozen strong swimmers in their shadows that will do well in London.

While big names such as Phelps receive the fanfare, other pool rats who are beginning their rise into big competition are going relatively unnoticed into the Games.

Here are five swimmers that have been flying, or in their case swimming, under the radar.

Caitlin Leverenz: 200 Individual Medley

At 21 years old, Leverenz is a young and promising swimmer. 

In 2008, she missed making the U.S. Olympic team by only a few seconds, but has come back strong since.

In the 200 individual medley, Leverenz has recently excelled in both national and international competition.

At the 2011 World Championships and the 2011 Winter National Championships, Leverenz placed first in her medley event.

Leverenz has quietly grown into a strong swimmer for Team USA.

Scott “Tyler” Clary: 200 Backstroke and 400 Individual Medley

Tyler Clary knows he has potential.

After winning the bronze in the 200-meter backstroke at the 2011 World Championships, Clary told SwimmingWorldMagazine.com that he wasn't happy with his performance. 

After earning a medal at the world championships!

Clary has been consistently getting better since his time swimming for the University of Michigan. At the 2011 Winter National Championships, Clary earned gold in the 200-meter backstroke and the 400-meter individual medley.

As Clary continues to work and get better, he can do some damage in London and earn some hardware.

But right now, he’s still under the radar.

Amanda Beard: 100 Breaststroke

When Amanda Beard was 14 years old, she became one of the youngest American swimmers to earn medals in the Olympics. She earned two silver medals, one in the 100-meter breaststroke and one in the 200-meter breaststroke, and earned a gold medal by being on the 4x100-meter medley relay team.

That was 16 years ago.

Since those Summer Olympics in 1996, Beard has been to hell and back, going from the pinnacle of Olympic sports down to depression, drug abuse, and bulimia.

But Beard is back.

After coming out of retirement in 2010, Beard has turned things around and is back on track to making the Olympic team.

Although she didn’t make it to the finals at the World Championships in 2011, Beard has been through it all and knows what it takes to be an Olympian.

Nathan Adrian: 50 Freestyle/100 Freestyle

Nathan Adrian has seen success with gold medals in Beijing in 2008 and at the World Championships in 2011.

But Adrian isn’t doing any Sub-Way commercials, yet.

As a member of Team USA’s 4x100-meter medley relay, Adrian has been in the large shadow cast by Michael Phelps.

But Adrian’s individual events, the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle, have been his focus of late.

In the 2011 Winter National Championships, Adrian took gold in both the 50 and 100 freestyle events, and at the World Championships he placed fourth in the 50.

Adrian has been working to compete in the freestyle, and this may be the year he can make the leap from making the U.S. Olympic squad to making it into the finals in London. 

Allison Schmitt: 200 Freestyle/ 4x200 Freestyle

Allison Schmitt is part of the new youth movement on the USA Women’s swim team.

Schmitt, who is only 22 years old, anchors the U.S. 4x200-meter freestyle squad that also includes 17-year-old 2011 FINA Swimmer of the Year Missy Franklin.

But much like swimmer Nathan Adrian, Schmitt is trying to break out into the spotlight in individual events this summer.

She has yet to emerge individually on the international stage, but she has the abilities to do it this summer.

Look for Schmitt to start putting the pieces together and compete strongly in both the 4x200 freestyle and the 200-meter freestyle in London.