Olympic Swimming Schedule: When and Where to Catch Remaining London Events

There have been some truly exciting races in the London Games. Though the swimming events are almost over, the most grueling race has yet to be swum—the 10-kilometer Marathon.

The Marathon is not a well-known event, but it is one of the most exciting events in the Games. At the Beijing Games, the three men's medalists were within three seconds of one another. Considering that the race took nearly two hours to complete, the tightness of the race is astounding.

Some athletes to watch on the men's side are Thomas Lurz of Germany and Spyridon Gianniotis of Greece. These two have a renowned rivalry in the sport, constantly pushing each other to new heights and always finishing close to one another.

The American to watch is Alex Meyer. Meyer's good friend and teammate Fran Crippen died in the middle of a race in 2010, so Meyer will be motivated to swim for Crippen. Meyer has a very real chance at a medal with a good race.

On the women's side, the odds-on favorite is Keri-Anne Payne. Payne, representing Great Britain, won silver in the event at Beijing. Her speed is dominant, as she is one of the few competitors to also be an accomplished swimmer in the pool in shorter events.

Martina Grimaldi of Italy also has a good chance at a gold medal. She is physical and has an explosive kick, which should help her on the back stretch.

You can catch the race at Hyde Park, near Buckingham Palace. The men's race will be on Friday, August 10 at 7 AM ET, and the women's race will be Thursday, August 9 at 7 AM ET.