The spirit of the Olympics burns in the hearts of athletes and fans. For those who get to wear the red, white and blue, representing the United States in the Olympic Games is a dream come true.
These are just a few of the outstanding athletes ready to compete in the Summer Games. In August, thousands of the world's swiftest and strongest will face off in Beijing. How many medals will the Americans bring home?
On April 20, Olympic bronze medalist Deena Kastor, 35, pulled off a last-minute victory at the Olympic marathon trials, in Boston, Massachusetts. It earned her a spot on the 2008 team. "It's an absolute honor," she says.
Last year, the International Association of Athletics Federations named world champion sprinter Tyson Gay, 25, the male World Athlete of the Year. He is going for Olympic gold in the 100-, 200- and 4 x 100-meter races. After a recent meet, he shared his secret to success: "Once I got running, I had fun."
LeBron James bounced onto the Olympic court when he was 19, in 2004. He helped the U.S. basketball team score a bronze medal. This year, the 23-year-old NBA star told TFK, he's looking forward to "bringing home the gold."
Michael Phelps, 22, plans to make a big splash again. The pool shark won six gold and two bronze medals at the 2004 Games. This year, he hopes to win a record eight Olympic gold medals in swimming. "I set very high goals for myself," he says, "and work hard to get there."