London 2012 Olympics Preview: Highlighting Most Intriguing Events This Year

The Summer Olympics are always a fascinating affair and the London 2012 games will feature several captivating moments.

With 302 events in 26 sports across 17 days, emotions will run high and history will be made. Tension for these athletes builds up for so long, and there so little margin for error when their moment finally arrives.

They will undertake monumentally difficult tests of speed, strength, athleticism and mental toughness.

Here are the five events that must not be missed.

Schedule courtesy of NBCOlympics.com.

Men's 200-Meter Individual Medley Finals

Thursday, August 2, 3:16 p.m. ET

The Men's 200-meter individual medley will feature one of the two battles between Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte.

Phelps just barely edged out Lochte at the event during the Olympic trials, but Lochte is the current world-record holder.

The two Americans are the two most dominant swimmers in the world right now, and there head-to-head battles will be among the most hyped events in London.

They will also go head-to-head in the 400-meter individual medley, but the shorter distance will provide more suspense and should not be missed.

Women's Beach Volleyball

Gold Medal Match: Wednesday, August 8, 4 p.m. ET (full schedule here)

Regardless of one's motivation for tuning in to this event, the Women's Beach Volleyball competition will provide a fascinating story line.

Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh are the two-time reigning gold medalists, but they have had a bumpy road back to the Olympics. May-Treanor injured her achilles tendon while competing on Dancing with the Stars, and Walsh has had two children since Beijing.

After time off, the duo will try to go for a third gold medal, but they are currently the fifth-ranked team in the world.

China's Xue Chen and Zhang Xi currently occupy the top spot, and Brazil's Larissa Franca and Juliana Silva are serious threat to win gold. The other American team of Jen Kessy and April Ross has also impressed and will make the competition even more thrilling.

Men's 100-Meter Dash Finals

Sunday, August 5, 4:50 p.m. ET

The 100-meter dash is always one of the premier events at the Olympics, and this year, it will also feature one of the games' premier athletes.

Usain Bolt is the most captivating runner in the world. At 6'5", he does not possess a typical build, and his performances are anything but ordinary.

He set a new world record of 9.68 seconds in the event in 2008, despite slowing down to celebrate before crossing the finish line.

This event may not be competitive at all, but it will be exciting to see what Bolt will do next.

Women's Gymnastics Team Competition Final

Tuesday, July 31, 11:30 a.m. ET

The United States will be favored to win gold at this event, as they boast their most talented team since the "Magnificent Seven" in 1996.

Gabby Douglas and Jordyn Wieber lead a group of incredible talents, and the team looks poised to take the gold medal back from China, who won the competition in 2008.

Romania and Russia also have competitive teams, and things will not be easy for the Americans.

This event always features intense pressure on incredibly young athletes, and it is often incredible to watch how they deal with the scrutiny. This, plus a uniquely gifted set of Americans will set up an epic competition.

Men's Basketball Tournament

Gold Medal Match: August 12, 10 a.m. ET (full schedule here)

Watching the United States Men's Olympic basketball team is simply a treat.

To see the sport's best players share the basketball and create breathtaking highlights is always one of the most exciting part of the games.

But other countries have started to catch up to the Americans, who have been racked by injuries leading up to the tournament. Spain and Argentina will both pose serious threats to the United States'  golden aspirations.

In all likelihood, the U.S. will still win the tournament and this edition of the Dream Team will be sure to put on a show.