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These 17 teenagers could win gold in London next month

Most of them won’t come close to winning gold, and will instead use London as a testing ground for future stardom. But then there’s this lot…

16/07/12 828 Views No Comments

THE 2012 OLYMPICS will be a launching pad for a bunch of teenage athletes.

Most of them won’t come close to winning gold, and will instead use London as a testing ground for future stardom.

But a few have a real chance at doing what only a handful have ever done before — reaching the pinnacle of their sports before turning 20 years old.

This year, super-young athletes in swimming, gymnastics, fencing, racewalking, and even showjumping have a chance at glory.

These 17 teenagers could win gold in London next month
1 / 17

  • Viktoria Komova (Russian gymnast, 17)

    Komova is probably the biggest competition in the individual events for the Americans (Wieber, Douglas, etc.) in London. Chance at a medal: High. She came in second in the all-around at the 2011 World Championships.

  • Adam Gemili (British sprinter, 18)

    His day job is playing soccer for Dagenham & Redbridge FC, but he's also the fastest guy in the UK. Chance at a medal: Slim. He's a part of the British 4x100 relay team, but they aren't expected to be big challengers.

  • Anthony Davis (American basketball player, 19)

    He was just the No. 1 pick in the draft, and he has a really good chance to make Team USA if he can recover from an ankle sprain. Chance a medal: He'll win one if he makes the team, and it will probably be gold.

  • Gabby Douglas (American gymnast, 16)

    Douglas surprised some people by coming in first in the US Olympic Trials. Jordyn Wieber won the World Championships in 2011, and is expected to be the top gymnast on the US team, but Douglas beat her. Chance at a medal: Very high. This is widely considered one of the best US gymnastics teams in awhile, so she should at least medal in the team all-around. She's also one of the best in the world at uneven bars.

  • Jordyn Wieber (American gymnast, 16)

    Wieber is the favorite in the individual women's all-around competition. Chance of a medal: High, and she'll be gunning for gold.

  • Jose Ramirez (American boxer, 19)

    Ramirez is one of the most hyped amateur boxers in the country. He's poised to go on to a big-time pro career in the lightweight division. Chance at a medal: The US has struggled to produce medal-winning boxers in recent years. But Ramirez is an amazingly accomplished amateur, so people seem to think he has a chance.

  • Katie Ledecky (American swimmer, 15)

    She won the 800m freestyle at the US Trials, making her the youngest member of the US team. Chance at a medal: Okay. Her time of 8:19 at the trials would have been good enough for bronze at last summer's world championships. But she's still a big underdog.

  • Lia Neal (American swimmer, 17)

    Neal is just the second African-American woman to make the US Olympic swim team, coming in fourth in the 100m freestyle at the trials to qualify for the 4x100 relay. Chance at a medal: Good. She should figure in the relay team, which historically does very well.

  • Lucas (Brazilian soccer player, 19)

    Lucas is part of the younger generation of Brazilian players who will take over for the first time by the 2014 World Cup. He has yet to move to a big European power so the Olympics could be his introduction to the world. Chance at a medal: Brazil expects to win the whole thing.

  • McKayla Maroney (American gymnast, 16)

    She's a vaulting specialist who recently recovered from a minor head injury to finish seventh in the all-around at the trials. Chance at a medal: High. She's a part of that potential US juggernaut, and she'll be one of the favorites in the individual vault.

  • Missy Franklin (American swimmer, 17)

    She's the best women's swimmer in the country, and she's going to enter an incredible seven events in London. Chance at a medal: Definitely. She's at legitimate phenom, and should bring home a truckload of medals.

  • Race Imboden (American fencer, 19)

  • Rachel Bootsma (American swimmer, 18)

    She's strictly a backstroker, and she's one of the best in the world. Chance at a medal: Good. Franklin is better than her, but she's still right up there in the 100m backstroke.

  • Reed Kessler (American showjumper, 17)

    Kessler made waves when she became the youngest person to ever qualify for the US team. Chance at a medal: Small? We have no idea how showjumping works, but we assume she only has at outside shot at winning since it's so rare for someone so young to even qualify. She's also only ranked 81st in the world.

  • Siobhan-Marie O'Connor (British swimmer, 16)

    She missed her prom to join the British swim team! Chance at a medal: Slim. She won the 100m breast stroke at the UK trials, but was only .49 seconds under the qualifying standard, according to the Telegraph.

  • Tom Daley (British diver, 18)

    Daley competed in the last Olympics at age 14. This time around, he's looking for a medal. Chance at a medal: It'd be a minor upset, but he has a shot. He came in 5th at the World Championships last year.

  • Trevor Barron (American racewalker, 19)

    Barron suffers from epilepsy, but has still turned himself into the country's best racewalker. Chance at a medal: Small. He finished 23rd at the World Championships last year, but he should be the best American finisher.
  • Komova is probably the biggest competition in the individual events for the Americans (Wieber, Douglas, etc.) in London. Chance at a medal: High. She came in second in the all-around at the 2011 World Championships.
  • His day job is playing soccer for Dagenham & Redbridge FC, but he's also the fastest guy in the UK. Chance at a medal: Slim. He's a part of the British 4x100 relay team, but they aren't expected to be big challengers.
  • He was just the No. 1 pick in the draft, and he has a really good chance to make Team USA if he can recover from an ankle sprain. Chance a medal: He'll win one if he makes the team, and it will probably be gold.
  • Douglas surprised some people by coming in first in the US Olympic Trials. Jordyn Wieber won the World Championships in 2011, and is expected to be the top gymnast on the US team, but Douglas beat her. Chance at a medal: Very high. This is widely considered one of the best US gymnastics teams in awhile, so she should at least medal in the team all-around. She's also one of the best in the world at uneven bars.
  • Wieber is the favorite in the individual women's all-around competition. Chance of a medal: High, and she'll be gunning for gold.
  • Ramirez is one of the most hyped amateur boxers in the country. He's poised to go on to a big-time pro career in the lightweight division. Chance at a medal: The US has struggled to produce medal-winning boxers in recent years. But Ramirez is an amazingly accomplished amateur, so people seem to think he has a chance.
  • She won the 800m freestyle at the US Trials, making her the youngest member of the US team. Chance at a medal: Okay. Her time of 8:19 at the trials would have been good enough for bronze at last summer's world championships. But she's still a big underdog.
  • Neal is just the second African-American woman to make the US Olympic swim team, coming in fourth in the 100m freestyle at the trials to qualify for the 4x100 relay. Chance at a medal: Good. She should figure in the relay team, which historically does very well.
  • Lucas is part of the younger generation of Brazilian players who will take over for the first time by the 2014 World Cup. He has yet to move to a big European power so the Olympics could be his introduction to the world. Chance at a medal: Brazil expects to win the whole thing.
  • She's a vaulting specialist who recently recovered from a minor head injury to finish seventh in the all-around at the trials. Chance at a medal: High. She's a part of that potential US juggernaut, and she'll be one of the favorites in the individual vault.
  • She's the best women's swimmer in the country, and she's going to enter an incredible seven events in London. Chance at a medal: Definitely. She's at legitimate phenom, and should bring home a truckload of medals.
  • She's strictly a backstroker, and she's one of the best in the world. Chance at a medal: Good. Franklin is better than her, but she's still right up there in the 100m backstroke.
  • Kessler made waves when she became the youngest person to ever qualify for the US team. Chance at a medal: Small? We have no idea how showjumping works, but we assume she only has at outside shot at winning since it's so rare for someone so young to even qualify. She's also only ranked 81st in the world.
  • She missed her prom to join the British swim team! Chance at a medal: Slim. She won the 100m breast stroke at the UK trials, but was only .49 seconds under the qualifying standard, according to the Telegraph.
  • Daley competed in the last Olympics at age 14. This time around, he's looking for a medal. Chance at a medal: It'd be a minor upset, but he has a shot. He came in 5th at the World Championships last year.
  • Barron suffers from epilepsy, but has still turned himself into the country's best racewalker. Chance at a medal: Small. He finished 23rd at the World Championships last year, but he should be the best American finisher.

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