Olympics Gymnastics 2012: Breaking Down Contenders and Pretenders

The qualifying round of men's gymnastics provided a great deal of surprises, but the true stars will shine in the team finals of the 2012 Summer Olympics.

China and Japan struggled in the opening round, but the two have dominated the sport for the past decade at the Olympics and at the World Championships. 

Conversely, the United States and Great Britain each provided fans with impressive showings in day one of the Olympic Games. However, it will be a struggle for these teams to continue their dominance into the main competition.

Only three teams can take home medals, and only one will take home the gold. Which teams will be on top when the competition ends, and which are simply pretenders?

USA: Contenders

The United States team has won a medal in each of the past two Olympics, and can win again with the talent assembled.

Danell Leyva led all competitors in the qualifying round as the only person to top 91 total points. Teammate John Orozco narrowly trailed him and finished second after two subdivisions.

The pair is complemented by experienced specialists like Jonathan Horton and Jake Dalton.

China and Japan came into the tournament as the favorites, but so far the United States is making the most noise in the field.

Great Britain: Pretenders

One of the biggest upsets on the first day of the Olympics was the performance by Great Britain in the qualifying round.

Kristian Thomas and Daniel Purvis were impressive all around, while Louis Smith helped the team with a solid showing on the pommel horse. 

As a team, Great Britain finished ahead of China in the first subdivision, giving the group momentum heading into Monday's finals.

Unfortunately, it is unlikely they can sustain those scores one more time around. The Chinese were simply preparing themselves for the main event, while the British went all out in the first round. 

They provided excitement for the hometown fans, but they will most likely not be able to take home any medals. 

China: Contenders

Unlike the other top squads, China does not have one great all around gymnast to lead the team in every event. Instead, they have a well-rounded team that features athletes that are among the best in the world at what they do.

Chen Yibing is very good at rings. Zhang Chenglong carries the team on the high bar while he and Feng Zhe battle to be best in the world on vault.

These athletes have a military-like precision once they step on the mat, and there is reason to believe they will step up their efforts when the gold medal is on the line. 

Germany: Pretenders

Germany is led by Phillipp Boy, the silver medalist in the all around at the 2011 World Championships. He is the best in the world at high bar and will try to carry the rest of Germany to a team victory.

Unfortunately, they do not have enough around him to make the team legitimate contenders in this competition.

Between the consistency of China and Japan and the potential of USA, it will be a struggle for Germany to even reach the medal stand in these Olympics. 

Japan: Contenders

Like Germany, Japan is led by one extremely talented gymnast, but the difference is that Kohei Uchimura is the best in the world at what he does.

The team has solid depth with Kato Ryohei and Tanaka Yusuke each performing well in specific exercises, but Uchimura should lead in almost every event.

NBC Commentator Tim Daggett told the NY Times, “After he competes in London, I think he’ll have enough titles . . . to say he’s the greatest that ever lived.”

After a silver medal in 2008, Japan is ready to elevate back to gold.

France: Pretenders

After a solid performance in the opening round, France has put itself in the conversation to possibly get a medal. However, there is simply not enough skill for the team to become a contender.

Each competitor provides a solid approach to their key apparatus, but none of them are great at any one event.

Tommasone Cyril should keep the team alive as an all-around performer. He should be proud of his total score of 88.698, as it is one of the best in the world.

Unfortunately, this will not be enough to carry a team with little help around him.