Some athletes are favored to win golds and smash world records. Others are favored only by themselves. While the media focuses on some of the Games high profile athletes, these talented underdogs will seek to spoil the party:

1. Michael Phelps is more than halfway to a record 8 Olympic medals in one Olympics. But he still has some stiff competition. In the 200-meter individual medley, American Ryan Lochte, a good friend of Phelps, might touch ahead of the famous swimmer. In the 4×100 medley relay, Australia will be looking to salvage a lackluster meet by upsetting the favored US squad. The biggest challenge for Phelps will come in the 100-meter butterfly, where world-record holder Ian Crocker is waiting. The more powerful Crocker is probably the toughest competition Phelps will meet on the way to his record.

2. Everyone is buzzing about the showdown between Tyson Gay, Asafa Powell, and Usain Bolt. But no one is talking about the silver medalist from Athens 2004, Portugal’s Francis Obikwelu. Also in the field will be Derrick Atkins of the Bahamas. He finished a close second at last year’s world championships.

3. With Rodger Federer out, it looks like the role of underdog will go to James Blake, who is a win away from facing Rafael Nadal in the gold medal match. These days, Nadal is favored to win every time he steps on the court. But anything can happen in the Olympics, as Blake proved when he upset Federer.

4. Spain is looking strong in the men’s basketball tournament. Along with Lithuania, they are the team capable of knocking the US out of the tournament. Lithuania almost took the US out of medals in 2004, while Spain is the most recent world champion.

5. Who can beat Misty May-Treanor and Kerry Walsh? The last team to defeat them, Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs, are looking up to the task during the early stages of group play at the Beach Volleyball venue in Beijing. Branagh and Youngs will really have to perform their best to even have a shot at their successful countrywomen, but a win on Olympic sand is not out of the question.

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