London 2012 Olympics: What to Expect from Michael Phelps and Other Top Stars

The 2012 Summer Olympics are drawing nearer with just over one month remaining before the opening ceremony in London.

The United States will look to win the medal count with strong competitors in many different sports. In 2008, USA won the overall medal count but lost out on gold medals to China, 51-36. 

While the most prominent American athletes at the event may be the U.S. Olympic men's basketball team, several individuals will also look to bring home the gold and shine at this year's events. 

Here is a look at what to expect this summer out of the top stars for the U.S. at this year's Olympic games. 

Michael Phelps

After winning six gold medals in the 2004 games in Athens, Michael Phelps took his greatness to a whole new level in 2008 by winning gold in all eight of his events. The performance was the most prolific swimming performance of all time and cemented Phelps as the greatest Swimmer that has ever lived.

Phelps has announced that 2012 will be his last Olympics at age 26, so he will look to go out with a bang.

Phelps could be competing in as many as 10 (via Metro) events during the games, making the possibility of setting even more Olympic records a distinct possibility.

Phelps will be challenged by his teammate Ryan Lochte (more on him later), but Phelps will still go into most of his events as the clear favorite. 

Last year at the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai, Phelps won four gold medals, two silver medals and a bronze medal at the seven events in which he competed (the bronze being the 4x100-meter freestyle relay). 

As not only the most decorated swimmer, but one of the most decorated Olympians of all time, Phelps will look to prove his greatness one more time in London. 

Ryan Lochte

Ryan Lochte was an afterthought in the 2008 games thanks to the dominating performance of his fellow American Michael Phelps. However, in 2012, it could be Lochte who steals the show and goes home with the most gold medals.

Lochte bested Phelps in the 2011 World Championships in both the 200-meter freestyle and the 200-meter individual medley, finishing with world-record times in both events.

Lochte won the Swimmer of the Year award in 2011 and defeated Phelps again Monday in the 400-meter qualifying event. 

The rivalry between the two American swimmers will be sure to be one of the most intriguing storylines in the 2012 games. 

If Lochte hopes to go down as one of the greatest swimmers of all time, he will need to prove he can beat Phelps on the biggest stage, London 2012. 

Jordyn Wieber

Every time the Olympics roll around, one of the most exciting events is always gymnastics.

Who can forget Mary Lou Retton's historic performance in 1984 or Kerri Strug's iconic vault on an injured ankle that capped off a gold-medal performance for the 1996 American team. 

In fact, if you're interested in gymnastics, I recommend checking out this fantastic countdown of the top 25 American gymnastic moments in history, by fellow B/R writer Avi Wolfman-Arent.

One American teenager who will look to add herself to that list in the 2012 games is Jordyn Wieber, the 2011 All-Around World Champion.

Wieber is America's biggest star coming into the event after Shawn Johnson recently retired before Olympic qualifying. 

Wieber has won two consecutive National Championships to go along with her All-Around World Championship and will be the leader of a strong women's Olympic squad at age 16 alongside teammate Gabby Douglas.

Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh-Jennings 

Coming off back to back Olympic gold medals and going unbeaten in the process, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh-Jennings will go down as the greatest beach volleyball team of all time when they decide to retire.

Many thought that time would come after the '08 games, with both women starting families and May-Treanor suffering a serious Achilles injury. They even lost their 112-match unbeaten streak in 2008, and many believed chances were slim they would make it to London for the 2012 games.

However, they are back and are looking to set an unprecedented record of three consecutive gold medals. For the first time in a long time, however, May-Treanor and Walsh-Jennings will come into the event as underdogs. 

They rank No. 4 in the world behind one Chinese and two Brazilian teams in the FIVB World Rankings. 

Still, into their 30s, May-Treanor and Walsh-Jennings are fully capable of walking home with the gold medals once again, and if they do, they will cement their legacy as the greatest American female Olympians of this century.