Summer Olympics 2012: Missy Franklin and Athletes Ready to Explode in London

Each and every sport enables various athletes to break out or "explode," as is the usual jargon.  That's what is great about sports: plenty of opportunities that, usually, offer something new.

With the Olympics, the chances are magnified. 

Those who are the best in the world gather in one place and duke it out to see who really is the top dog (or, does this use call for the word "dawg?"). 

With so many events and so many countries represented, the possibilities for this list are endless—but here are 12 of the most likely candidates to explode in London.

China

Despite not having much confidence going in (higher-ups have said even the Chinese don't think they'll meet the 100 medals they got in Beijing), the Chinese athletes are good enough to topple the talented Americans.

With stars in both track and gymnastics (among others), it would surprise me if the Chinese flag isn't seen early and often in London.

Historically, the country maintains power in basketball and almost always does well in gymnastics.  Watch for them to continue to make an impact, perhaps even exploding to overtake the United States.

Women Boxers

Women's boxing will make its Olympic debut in 2012, and I feel like it's going to be a hit.

The big favorite right now is Marlen Esparza from here in the U.S., entering the Games with a solid 69-2 record. 

A new event will draw some buzz, and I think the world will embrace the Games' newest sport.

Luguelin Santos

Straight out of the Dominican Republic, Luguelin Santos has been running in the big-time events for a couple of years now, starting in 2010 at the age of 16.

Santos won gold just this year in the World Junior Championships, as well as a couple of silvers in the 2011 Pan American Games. 

He's begun to show signs of being a perennial star in the Olympics.  It should be a good year for the young man in 2012.  If he explodes like I expect him to, it'll be the start of an amazing track career.

David Rudisha

If any track star is set to explode more than anyone, then David Rudisha would be that guy.  In 2010, he ran an 800-meter race and broke a world record in the event that had stood for 13 years.

One week later, he did it again.  Overall, he holds five of the top 10 times in history for the event. Can someone get Charlie Sheen on the phone to say it for me? WINNING!

In all seriousness, the 800 meter is Rudisha's for the taking, and he's going to make a name for himself and the country of Kenya in the process.

Neymar

He may not need to really explode to become big, because he's been soccer's next big thing for quite some time.  Neymar was the 2011 South American Footballer of the Year. 

The quick striker is going to make a lot of noise in London, whether he performs well or winds up being a big letdown.

My vote is that it will be the former.

Kayla Harrison

Kayla Harrison is a bit of an inspirational story as she enters the London Games.

She was sexually abused by her first coach, which almost forced her to walk away from the sport of Judo.  She didn't, though, and she is going to try to become the first American to win a gold medal in Judo.

Harrison took gold in the 2010 World Judo Championships and bronze in 2011.  She certainly has the capability of a win, and the gold would make Harrison's story all that much more inspirational.

Sally Pearson

Sally Pearson, straight out of Australia, is already an Olympic medalist, winning silver in 2008 in the 100-meter hurdles.

Now, Pearson is back to make a bigger impact and really explode onto the big stage.  She's coming off a gold medal performance in the 60-meter hurdles in the World Indoor Championships, and she won gold at the World Championships last year.

The 100-meter hurdles are her thing, and I'm expecting Pearson to get the gold this time around.

Aliya Mustafina

Perhaps the biggest threat to American dominance in gymnastics is 17-year old Aliya Mustafina (seriously, I feel old right now).

Mustafina hails from Russia and has been with the Russian national team since 2010, performing extremely well in the tournaments they've been a part of.

In total, she has already collected 10 medals, including three golds in 2010.  It's worth mentioning that she is a very talented all-around performer, and she is the biggest threat to Jordyn Wieber's dominance (more on her later).  Mustafina was a 2011 silver medalist in the all-around event of the American Cup, with the gold going to Wieber.

Mustafina has already made a name for herself, but watch for the performance of her life in London.

Yohan Blake

It would appear that Usain Bolt has some competition from his own country of Jamaica in the form of Yohan Blake. 

In 2011, Blake won two golds in the World Championships in the 100-meter and 4x100-meter relay.  Now, he'll be taking his talents to London and is one of the favorites.

Blake is the youngest guy to ever run a sub-10 second 100-meter dash, which is just a simple example of how fast he is.  Expect to see more Jamaican medals than ever before, with much assistance from Blake.

Lolo Jones

Lolo Jones was favored to win the 100-meter hurdles in Beijing in 2008, but unfortunately, she tripped and wound up finishing seventh.

Don't take that as something she does often.

Jones attended LSU, where she was an 11-time All-American. She has won three indoor national titles in the 60-meter hurdles and two golds in the World Indoor Championships.

Jones is one of the more decorated American athletes already, and you can bet she's going to be looking for redemption in London.

Jordyn Wieber and Gabby Douglas

Both Jordyn Wieber and Gabby Douglas are going to need to make serious impacts in London.  Since the three big names from Beijing won't be there, someone has to take the reigns.

I've written a lot about Wieber recently, so I won't spend another full page discussing just how good she is.  She's only 17 and has 13 gold medals in world competitions, seven coming in the all-around category.

There is no doubt she'll be an incredible contributor to the American team.

Even younger still is Douglas, as she's only 16 years old.  What Wieber is to the all-around, Douglas has been to the uneven bars in the last couple years—golds in the Pan American Championships and Visa Championships in 2012 would support that.

Both of these young women are going to be the new faces of gymnastics, and I can't wait to watch them own the competition.

Missy Franklin

As we prepare to finally see the Games begin, perhaps there's no one more poised to explode than the young American swimmer, Missy Franklin.

At only 17 years old, Franklin was extremely impressive in the 2012 Olympic Trials, further proving how dominant she is capable of being, particularly in the backstroke.  She owns an American record in the 100-meter backstroke.

Franklin is going to be competing in seven events in London, and I wouldn't be shocked in any way to see her take at least a handful of golds.