Olympics Schedule 2012: Top Events That Will Go Down to the Wire

Let’s face it; with the lack of household names in the majority of Olympic events, you watch the games hoping to see a breathtaking finish.

You want to see events come down to the final second or, in some sports, the final millisecond.

After training for the vast majority of their lives to reach the pinnacle, watching how these world-class athletes compete under colossal pressure is the true entertainment in watching the Olympics.

So, what events are most likely to provide us with such a finish?

Men’s 100-Meter Dash (Track and Field)

Arguably the most thrilling 10 seconds in sports, the winner of this race will be crowned fastest man in the world for the next four years.

Usain Bolt currently holds the prestigious title, but fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake is going to give him a run for his money. He easily won the World Championships last year after Bolt was disqualified for a false start.

Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin are the best shots on the American side, but both are coming off of lengthy breaks. It would be a complete shocker if either took home a gold medal.

It’s a race that almost always comes down to the wire, and if you blink, you’ll miss the action. This is the most exciting event of the entire Olympic games.  

Men’s 400-Meter Individual Medley (Swimming)

One of the most grueling races in the pool, it will be a battle of strength and conditioning when the swimmers have to perform four different strokes.

Who is the best athlete at the butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle when thrown into one race? In my mind, this is the event that determines the most versatile and overall best swimmer in the field.

One, if not the major storyline of the Olympics is going to be Michael Phelps vs. Ryan Lochte.

The two Americans have been neck and neck throughout the Olympic trials and are going to be first and second, respectively, in the vast majority of their events in London—including this one.

Men’s Basketball

Comparing the ’92 Dream Team to this year’s American team is a joke.

Aside from Tyson Chandler, the team doesn’t possess much of a defensive presence in the paint. Rookie Anthony Davis hasn’t logged a single NBA minute yet could get significant playing time now that Blake Griffin is out.

This plays right into the hands of Spain, a team featuring Pau and Marc Gasol in addition to Serge Ibaka. It’s a terrible matchup for the U.S.

With another strong NBA player in Jose Calderon as their point guard, Spain can utilize a height advantage and open up plenty of good looks for their shooters.

If these two meet with a gold medal on the line (like they did in 2008), it’s going to be a nail-biter that comes down to if the stars of America can hit jump shots.

Guys like Carmelo Anthony are going to be given wide-open looks by Chris Paul and Deron Williams, and it’s a matter of knocking them down. Can you imagine if LeBron James has the ball in his hands in a tie game with the clock running out?

Skip Bayless might explode.

This is going to be a thrilling gold medal game that seems destined to happen. 

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