Summer Olympics 2012: First 3 Can't-Miss Events at London Games

There are so many events and athletes to cover at the Olympics, it can become extremely overwhelming. What events should I watch? What names do I need to know? Which events will be particularly compelling or even potentially historic?

I can't provide all of those answers in this article, but I can give you the first three events on the schedule I saw that I absolutely won't want to miss. There will be other wonderful events to follow, but these are the first three must-watch events in my opinion.

Tune in or miss out, you guys.

Wednesday, July 25: USA vs. France, Women's Soccer

Before we even get to the opening ceremony, the soccer tournament for the men and women will commence, and one of the group-stage highlights has to be a tilt between powerhouse USA and up-and-coming France.

While all eyes will be on world-class United States forwards Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach, the French side has a lot of talent, from dangerous forwards Gaetane Thiney and Marie-Laure Delie to midfield maestros in Louisa Nécib and Sandrine Souyebrand.

This should be a high-paced, up-and-down affair between two teams possessing a lot of talent. For fans of footy, you'll need to be glued to the tube at 12:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

Saturday, July 28: Men's 400 Individual Medley, Swimming

Finally, the great rivalry will be played out on the biggest stage—it's Michael Phelps versus Ryan Lochte, part one.

It's hard to beat an event of this magnitude on just the second day of the Olympics, scheduled for 2:30 p.m. EDT.

Will Michael Phelps continue his dominance over the sport, vanquishing his main rival immediately at London? Will Lochte rise to the occasion and stake his claim as the United States' finest male swimmer? Or will another contender shock us all and steal the event from the two favorites?

I'm getting excited just thinking about it. You absolutely cannot miss this event.

Tuesday, July 30: Women's Team Final, Gymnastics

U-S-A! U-S-A!

The United States women have one of the strongest teams the country has ever fielded, leading many to believe Team USA will take home just its second-ever Gold medal in the team competition and first since 1996.

You'll want to be tuned in starting at 11:30 a.m. EDT—it's gonna be good.

Gabby Douglas and Jordyn Wieber are each serious contenders to win the individual all-around competitions. McKayla Maroney is the favorite heading into the vault competition, while Aly Raisman brings a strong floor exercise to the team.

This is the best chance the United States may have of replicating the Gold-medal glory of the 1996 Magnificent Seven. You don't want to miss this.

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