Summer Olympics: Which US Star Gives Americans Best Chance at Gold Medal?

The U.S. stars will be out at the 2012 Summer Olympics, but some American teams will need their top performers more than others to win gold medals.

For example, the USA basketball team is stacked with so many stars it almost seems unfair, but other teams will have a bit more of an arduous road in their respective competitions.

In that context, Jordyn Wieber will be the top catalyst for the USA women's Olympic gymnastics team to win the top prize in London.

Earlier this month, Wieber turned 17 years old, but her accomplishments to this point are a worthy set of accolades for any gymnast in a lifetime.

Wieber won all-around titles at two American Cups, two Visa Championships, and at the World Championships in 2011.

The women's gymnastics team was featured on the front cover of Sports Illustrated, and is poised to win the gold medal as a team this year after getting the silver in 2008. Home favorite China won the team gold.

The team is extremely young—fellow star Aly Raisman is the oldest at age 18—and extremely good.

It all starts and ends with Wieber, though, who is the second most experienced on the team and definitely has the most successful career resume.

She certainly seems to think the USA has a chance to break through after two consecutive silvers at the summer Games. Her confidence was on display to an article on CBSSports.com:

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"Every year, we get so much stronger...We did so good at worlds, but I think this team is even stronger than that. I'm really excited that we have a lot of potential to win the gold medal in London."

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Wieber is not afraid to talk the talk as the team's top gymnast, but this USA team seems to possess the exceptional talent required to walk the walk.

The Magnificent Seven assembled in 1996 were the only such USA team to win the team gold medal, but this core of Americans are drawing comparisons to that ensemble, and rightfully so.

Shannon Miller was that team's superstar, and Wieber has similar accomplishments at this stage of her career as Miller had entering the Games in Atlanta.

Miller won the all-around gold medal in the 1993 and 1994 World Championships, where she was between the ages of 16 and 17.

Between ages 15 and 16, Wieber has won her most significant events to date, including the World Championships.

For the first time in 16 years—and only the second time ever— the women's gymnastics team will rise to the summit of the podium and deliver a gold medal, and Wieber will lead the way.