Olympic Results 2012: 8 Stars Who've Emerged in London

We are just three days into the 2012 London Olympic Games, but some international stars have already emerged from the early competitions.

From lightning quick swimmers, to gravity-defying gymnasts, to top performers in the most obscure Olympic sports, many unknown athletes have already risen to the forefront of the world's consciousness.

There will certainly be some additions to this list as the 2012 Games progress, but for now, the following athletes are the top breakout stars so far.

Aly Raisman: Gymnastics, United States

Before London, Aly Raisman wasn't even viewed as the second-best gymnast on her own team. However, after putting together a spectacular performance in the women's qualification round on Sunday, Raisman is starting to look like the best in the world.

The 18-year-old Massachusetts native was simply phenomenal in qualifying, posting an overall score of 60.391. Only Russia's Viktoria Komova (60.632) was better. 

That means Raisman beat out teammates Gabby Douglas and Jordyn Wieber, who were widely seen as locks to advance to the individual all-around finals. Instead it was Raisman who shined, and she will now be joining Douglas in Thursday's individual competition.

If Raisman can earn a medal there and help lead the U.S. to the gold in the team competition on Tuesday, she will vault herself into international superstardom.

Missy Franklin: Swimming, United States

Missy Franklin was already a superstar within her sport, but this week has been her coming out party for the average once-every-four-years swimming fan.

The 17-year-old phenom has lived up to all the hype, earning medals in both of her races thus far.

First, Franklin helped the U.S. women capture the bronze in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay on Saturday. She followed that up with a gold in her first individual event, winning the 100-meter backstroke with a time of 58.33 seconds.

Franklin will be competing in several more events in the coming days, and if she adds to her medal count, she will solidify her status as the breakout star from London.

Yannick Agnel: Swimming, France

Yannick Agnel may be seen as a villain to American swimming fans, but there's no doubt that he's been one of the brightest stars of the 2012 Games.

For his opening act, Agnel ran down American Ryan Lochte in the final leg of the men's 4x100-meter freestyle relay, earning a gold for France in the process. He then beat Lochte again on Monday, winning gold in the 200-meter freestyle with a time of 1 minute 43.14 seconds.

With two golds draped around his neck, Agnel doesn't even have to medal in his remaining events to secure his place as a breakout star.

Gabby Douglas: Gymnastics, United States

With her bright smile and incredible skill, 16-year-old Gabby Douglas was a popular pick to be a breakout star in London.

She hasn't disappointed thus far, delivering an excellent performance in Sunday's qualifying rounds. She finished with a total score of 60.265, good for third place overall. She likely would have finished in first if not for a few uncharacteristic mistakes in the floor exercise.

Look for Douglas to clean up her routine and medal in both the team and individual competitions this week.

Matt Grevers: Swimming, United States

With Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte struggling to meet expectations, Matt Grevers has picked up some of the slack.

The 27-year-old Arizona resident was phenomenal in his lone individual race of the Games, winning the 100-meter backstroke with an Olympic record time of 52.16 seconds. He also was a part of the men's 4x100-meter freestyle relay that took silver.

Grevers will never reach the same level of international fame as Phelps and Lochte, but with his Olympic-record time on Monday, he's accomplished something that they haven't in London.

Dana Vollmer: Swimming, United States

American Dana Vollmer broke the first world record of the 2012 Olympics, winning the 100-meter butterfly with a breathtaking time of 55.98 seconds.

It was an inspiring performance by the 24-year-old, who failed to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Games after competing in Athens eight years ago.

Vollmer will also be competing in the women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay, and if she can help the U.S. medal, she will add to her rapidly growing fame.

Kim Rhode: Skeet Shooting, United States

Skeet shooting isn't the most glamorous or well-known Olympic sport, but with her amazing feat on Sunday, Kim Rhode definitely deserves to be on this list.

The 33-year-old became the first American ever to medal in five straight Olympics, earning gold in amazing fashion this weekend.

Rhode tied a world record and set an Olympic record by hitting 99 of 100 targets on Sunday. That was eight better than the second-place finisher, Wei Ning of China.

Rhode won't receive a ton of attention because of the low-profile nature of her sport, but she is certainly one of the brightest stars from London thus far.

Omar Abdulrahman: Soccer, United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates has yet to win a game, and Omar Abdulrahman has yet to score a goal. Still, the electric 20-year-old midfielder has been the breakout soccer star of the Games so far.

With his dazzling footwork and creativity, Abdulrahman has wowed observers in the UAE's games against Uruguay and Great Britain.

His team hasn't had the best results, but the 20-year-old is now a household name among soccer fans. He will likely be signing with a top-flight European club soon, in large part thanks to his performance in London.

The UAE will not be advancing out of the group stage, but you can still catch Abdulrahman play against Senegal Wednesday at 2:45 p.m. EDT. Even if you're just a casual soccer fan, you will be in for a treat.