Olympic Swimming 2012: Michael Phelps and Stars Under Immense Pressure

The London 2012 Olympics are less than 24 hours away from starting, and for many athletes, the pressure and expectations to perform is immensely high.

Swimming stars such as American sensation Michael Phelps know the immense pressure riding on their performances. To silence their critics, they know they’ll have to swim better than they ever have before.

The pressure might drive them to success or it may well result in a spectacular splutter—only time will tell.

Let’s take a look at the swimming stars under immense pressure heading into the 2012 London Olympics.

James Magnussen (Australia)

Kicking off our list is Australian swimmer James Magnussen, who will enter the Olympics as the clear-cut favorite to win the men's 100-meter freestyle.

Magnussen has already set the fastest time of the year in the event. He is expected to break the 47-second barrier and potentially even Cesar Cielo's world record in the process.

The 21-year-old is arguably the Aussie's best chance to win gold in the pool at the Olympics, which means that all the pressure and expectation is riding on his shoulders.

Missy Franklin (United States)

How much pressure can there be on a 17-year-old who has never been to the Olympic Games before? 

A lot.

Missy Franklin—despite her age—is considered one of the hottest young swimmers in the world. After a strong showing at the recent US Olympic Trials, she has proved that her performances at last year's FINA World Championships were no fluke.

Franklin scored five medals at the championships, including three gold, and is touted as America's next queen of the pool. For me, that's a lot of hype, and it's only compounded by the fact that she doesn't yet have the experience to know how to deal with it.

Rebecca Adlington (Great Britain)

Rebecca Adlington enters the 2012 London Olympics as the reigning gold medalist in both the women's 400 and 800-meter freestyle events after claiming both at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

She is the hot favorite to win both events, but the pressure to perform is sure to be set even higher for her this year, considering she must do it in front of her home crowd.

Being in London will no doubt motivate and inspire the 23-year-old, but at the same time, being a nation's top swimming prospect can be daunting.

Stephanie Rice (Australia)

Golden girl Stephanie Rice won three gold medals and set three world records at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and is Australia's most well-known female swimmer at this year's Games.

She is the favorite for both individual medley events again this time around, but her recent performances haven't been spectacular, due both to niggling injuries and an increase in competition from Australian Alicia Coutts.

She blew the world away four years ago, but those performances may have set the bar exceptionally high heading into the London Olympics. This means that she will need to pull out something special to blow everyone away again this year.

Kosuke Kitajima (Japan)

2004 Athens Olympics—gold medals in the 100 and 200-meter breaststroke.

2008 Beijing Olympics—gold medals in the 100 and 200-meter breaststroke.

The pressure on Kosuke Kitajima is therefore naturally quite high, and not just from the sports-crazed nation of Japan. He is the favorite for both events this year, and given Japan's rich pedigree and history in the events, will surely understand the significance of what 2012 could do for his career.

A win in both events would surely establish his name in the swimming record books forever and make him a national hero back at home.

Tell me that isn't pressure.

Michael Phelps (United States)

There is no other swimmer at the 2012 London Olympics under more pressure than American swimming legend Michael Phelps.

Phelps' rivalry with fellow countrymen Ryan Lochte will no doubt be enthralling to watch, but swimming fans right around the world will be expecting the former to come out on top of the clash.

This creates all kinds of pressure and expectation.

After clinching eight gold medals four years ago in Beijing, Phelps only needs three more gold medals to become the most decorated Olympian in history—a record itself that could well stand the test of time.

The world will be watching and expecting him to win. The pressure is there and the bar is set astronomically high—the only question that remains now is as to whether he will succeed like everyone is expecting him to.

Who do you think is under the most pressure at the 2012 London Olympics?

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All information courtesy of FINA.org