London 2012 Olympics: Breaking Down USA's Best 5 Competitors

Historically, no nation in the long running of the Olympics has had more success than the United States. Americans led the medal counts of gold, silver, bronze and total, and by a large margin. 

At the 2012 Olympic Games, the United States is expected to bring home several more of each from London. 

In the following five slides, we'll break down the five best athletes the United States is taking to London. Expect these five to add to the American medal count. 

Misty May-Treanor, Kerri Walsh-Jennings

Few American olympians have been as dominate over the last two Summer Games as May and Walsh, the queens of beach volleyball. 

The pair have won two golds—at the 2004 and 2008 Games—and the '08 win capped off a winning streak of 112 straight games. No one could touch the pair for the better part of eight years. 

The two have become more mortal over the last four years, and they lost the 2011 world championships to a Brazilian pair who may be the favorites in the 2012 Olympics.

Still, May and Walsh are the faces of beach volleyball, and no one will be surprised if the duo wins their third gold medal this summer. 

Michael Phelps

Over the last two Olympic Games, Phelps has transformed himself from a red-eyed 18-year-old into the world's most accomplished male swimmer ever. 

Phelps took home eight medals as a teenager at the 2004 Games, and then followed that performance up with a world record eight golds in 2008. With three medals in London, Phelps will become the most awarded Olympian in the history of the event. 

Phelps will compete in just five events this summer—the 200/400-meter individual medley, 100/200-meter butterfly and 800-meter team relay—but they should be enough for Phelps to break the record in London. A fitting swan song indeed for one of the greatest Olympians of all-time. 

Missy Franklin

It's somewhat hard to believe that one of the most anticipated olympians in the 2012 Games is a 17-year-old swimmer who just attended her junior prom, but that's the case for Missy Franklin. 

A high school senior next fall, Franklin qualified for a American women's record seven events in London, and she'll be considered one of the favorites in several of those races. 

While far too early to tell, Franklin could be to US women's swimming what Phelps has been for the men's side. A couple gold medals in London would help do the trick. 

Jordyn Wieber

The American women's gymnastics team may be as deep and talented in 2012 as it has been since 1996, the last time the US women won team gold. 

Anchoring that team is Michigan native Jordyn Wieber, arguably the best all-around women's gymnast in the world currently. There won't be an argument after the 2012 Games, where Wieber—the 2011 world all-around champion—will attempt to follow in Nastia Liukin's gold footsteps. Liukin won individual gold for the US in the 2008 Games.

The US may not be may favored to win team gold, but the individual all-around gold is Wieber's to lose. 

Ryan Lochte

Finally, we get to Ryan Lochte—the man who may take his turn as the star of the pool this summer after watching his rival Michael Phelps dominate the games the past eight years. 

Lochte has already had his share of success at the Olympics, winning six medals at the 2008 Games in Beijing. But he's got his eye on a leprechaun's share of gold this summer, and Phelps may be the only swimmer that can stop him from taking home a handful of gold medals. 

Lochte is a favorite in the 200- and 400-meter individual medley, and the US 800-meter relay team is expected to win gold again. In all, Lochte could bring home five medals.