10 Buzz-Worthy Olympians

Phelps, Bolt, Xiang take sport's center stage

By Paul Stinson, Newser User

Posted Aug 7, 2008 11:49 AM CDT

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10 Buzz-Worthy Olympians — Usain Bolt competes in the men's 200m during the Aviva London Athletics Grand Prix at Crystal Palace, London. Bolt will do battle against world record-holder and fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell. (AP Photo/Sang Tan)

Competing in 20 Olympic events and going for a record eight gold medals, American swimming phenom Michael Phelps is first off the block in the BBC's list of 10 to watch in Beijing. Here are some of the others:

Natalie du Toit: This South African swimmer and Paralympic gold-medalist will make a splash as the first female amputee to compete at the Summer Games.

Kenenisa Bekele: Can the Ethiopian runner win the both the 5,000- and the 10,000-meter races?
Usain Bolt: The Jamaican 100 meter world record-holder could dominate Beijing if he achieves a sprint double: wins in both the 100- and 200-meter races.
Liu Xiang: The hopes of 1.3 billion rest on the legs of China's famed hurdler.
Yelena Isinbayeva: Will the world record-holder pole vault her way to another gold?

For the rest, click the link below.
(More Michael Phelps stories.)

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