There would be a few pretenders to the Olympic throne at London. Contenders who will be out to upset the established champions and etch their own name in the history of sports. One of the main reasons the games rank so high on any athlete's career is the opportunity for relatively unknown sportspeople to spring the surprise on the incumbent kings and queens of the arena. In 2012, foremost of these would be Johan Blake. He has already beaten Usain Bolt at the Worlds and lately at the Jamaican trials. Though these were only dress rehearsals and Bolt presumably had a "slight problem", Blake has served notice enough to be considered a real threat to the world record holder's hegemony in the sprint events. The two should come against each other for both the 100m and 200m dashes and the fight is evenly poised. Ryan Lochte has lived under Micahel Phelp's shadow long enough to know how it feels to be deprived of stardom after having a bevy of Olympic medals to his name. The 200m free and backstroke may just be the races that put him along side Phelps and Spitz at the head of the American swimming table. Saina Nehwal has been a thorn in the Chinese flesh for some time on the badminton courts. Though she does not boast of a very good record against the two Wangs, its a fear of her that has made the selection of Li Xuerui possible. If Saina fires all cylinders, this may be the year where the Chinese dragon is slayed on the shuttle. Home advantage was in full view for the Chinese gymnasts four years ago but expect the US to upset their applecart in London. The bars and vaults may see new rulers and that surely wouldn't be a case to lament. Anticipating a new set of trend setters that keep the flame burning bright.
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