London Olympics: Five stars waiting in the wings
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Missy Franklin, Kohei Uchimura, Ashton Eaton, Sun Yang and Ryan Lochte may not be universally popular at the moment but the quintet has a chance to become household names after the 2012 Olympics.
Nothing can stop them from stardom if their performance matches their potential at London. There is no grander platform to showcase sporting talent than the Games. The power of the Olympics to transform a callow sportsperson into a global superstar is well documented.
Here is the lowdown on the five potential stars at London.
1. Missy Franklin (USA, swimming)
The 17-year-old will become America’s heartthrob if she creates a splash in the swimming pool. The signs are ominous for her opponents: Missy topped the US trials in the 100m and 200m backstroke, events in which she is also ranked No. 1 in the world.
The fun-loving US prodigy will also swim the 100m and 200m free at London besides three relays. Missy, who won five medals including three gold at last year’s worlds, has a toothy smile that can wow fans as much as her undoubted talent.
2. sun Yang (China, swimming)
China capped a wonderful Olympics they organised in Beijing four years ago by topping the medal table. But none of their 51 gold medals came from a male swimmer. The anomaly is set to change at London with the emergence of freestyle specialist, Yang.
The 22-year-old sensation smashed Australian Grant Hackett’s 1,500m world record with a time of 14:34.14 seconds last year. He will also swim the 200m and 400m free at the Olympics and China will look up to Yang to blaze a trail.
3. Ashton Eaton (USA, decathlon)
For many, decathlon is torture in 10 installments. For some, the ultimate test of versatility is a chance to rewrite record books. Eaton, 24, was the toast of the US Olympic trials last month when he broke Czech Roman Sebrle’s decade-old record of 9,026 by 13 points.
Bob Mathias triggered USA’s fascination for decathlon by winning the event as a 17-year-old at the 1948 London Olympics. Can Eaton emulate Mathias as the Games returns to London?
4. Kohei Uchimura (Japan, gymnastics)
The individual all-round title is the holy grail of gymnastics. Uchimura has been enjoying a monopoly over it in the last three years. The Japanese sensation has been untouchable in the all-round event at the worlds since the Beijing Olympics where he could only finish second.
Many experts believe that he is one of the greatest to have ever touched an apparatus. A gold medal at London will be a seal of approval. Unless Uchimura succumbs to a bout of nerves, his gold is carved in stone.
5. Ryan Lochte (USA, swimming)
Michael Phelps’ eight-gold haul at Beijing was so special that it consumed the achievements of all others barring Usain Bolt. Despite winning three gold medals in two Olympics, Lochte still languishes in the shadow of Phelps.
London may mark the coming of age party for Lochte, who currently holds the world record in the 200m and 400m individual medley. If his five gold medals at the last world championship is anything to go by, American swimming will not only be about Phelps at the 2012 Games.
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