10 Olympic athletes to watch for

Don't miss these superstars of boxing, swimming, volleyball and more

By Liane Bonin StarrThursday, Jul 26, 2012 8:00 PM

With 26 sports, 39 disciplines and 34 venues, the London Olympics are clearly one supersized event. For those of us who don't keep up year-round with, say, synchronized swimming or dressage, it's hard to know what (or who) to watch -- especially when NBC is airing content on both television and the Web. While not everyone is a standout for the same reasons (some are locks for big wins, others are notable for their underdog status), there are plenty of athletes sure to deliver some drama. Here's a short list of just some of the competitors to keep an eye on.

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The 10 Olympic athletes you need to watch this summer

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Liane Bonin Starr
Sr. Editor

Liane Bonin Starr is an author, screenwriter and former writer for EW.com. Her byline has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Variety and a lot of other places. Her last book was called "a scandalously catty, guilty pleasure" by Jane magazine. Expect the same from Starr Raving.