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With 200 Days To Rio, Here's The Top Team USA Athletes To Watch In 200-Meter Events

Jan. 18, 2016, 2:06 p.m. (ET)

With 200 days to go until the Rio 2016 Olympic Games begin on Aug. 5, TeamUSA.org is taking a look at some of the most anticipated events at the Games – the 200-meter events. Whether it’s canoe/kayak, swimming or track and field, several U.S. athletes will be gunning for the podium at a distance of 200 meters. Here’s a look at who to watch:

Men's 200-Meter, Track and Field
Team USA frontrunner: Justin Gatlin
Why you should watch: This event could produce one of two showdowns between Gatlin and Jamaica’s Usain Bolt in Rio. Gatlin won silver to Bolt in both the 100- and 200-meter races at the 2015 world championships and is hungry for revenge at the Olympics. Gatlin is the 2015 U.S. champion and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist at this distance.
Other contenders: Isiah Young and Wallace Spearmon, who finished behind Gatlin at the U.S. outdoor championships in 2015


Women's 200-Meter, Track and Field
Team USA frontrunner: Allyson Felix
Why you should watch: Felix hopes to complete her coveted 200-400 double with this race. With a recent schedule change to the track program in Rio, the reigning 200-meter Olympic champion and 400-meter world champion will be able to go for gold in both races.
Other contenders: Jenna Prandini, Candyce McGrone and 2012 Olympian Jeneba Tarmoh all finished on the U.S. podium in 2015, when Felix sat out the event.


Men's 200-Meter Backstroke, Swimming
Team USA frontrunner: Unclear
Why you should watch: Ryan Lochte won gold in 2008 and bronze in 2012, but hasn’t competed in this event as of late. So who will step up and take his spot? Matt Grevers, the Olympic champion in the 100-meter, won the national title in December 2015, followed by 2014 Youth Olympian Patrick Mulcare. Ryan Murphy and Tyler Clary made the final at the world championships, finishing fifth and seventh. Murphy also won at the Arena Pro Swim Series at Austin.


Women's 200-Meter Backstroke, Swimming
Team USA frontrunner: Missy Franklin
Why you should watch: Franklin won the event at the 2012 Olympics, as well as the 2011 and 2013 world championships, before finishing with silver at the 2015 worlds. The five-time Olympic medalist will strive to return to the top of the podium in Rio.
Other contenders: Maya DiRado


Men's 200-Meter Breaststroke, Swimming
Team USA frontrunner: Kevin Cordes
Why you should watch: Cordes won a silver medal in the 200-meter breaststroke at the 2015 world championships and has the potential to make a big splash in his Olympic debut in Rio.
Other contenders: Carlos Claverie, Nic Fink, Josh Prenot


Women's 200-Meter Breaststroke, Swimming
Team USA frontrunner: Micah Lawrence
Why you should watch: After finishing sixth at the 2012 Olympic, Lawrence has been a podium mainstay, winning bronze at the 2013 world championships and silver at the 2015 world championships.
Other contenders: Lilly King, Kierra Smith, Laura Sogar


Men's 200-Meter Butterfly, Swimming
Team USA frontrunner: Michael Phelps
Why you should watch: Phelps won gold in this event in 2004 and 2008, followed by silver in 2012, and is eager to return to the top of the podium in one of his favorite strokes. The most-decorated Olympian of all time set a world-leading time at the national championships in August while the rest of the world was at world championships.
Other contenders: Tyler Clary, Chase Kalisz, Tom Shields


Women's 200-Meter Butterfly, Swimming
Team USA frontrunner: Cammile Adams
Why you should watch: After finishing fifth in her Olympic debut in London, Adams is on pace for her first Olympic medal following a silver at the 2015 world championships.
Other contenders: Haley Anderson, Katie McLaughlin


Men's 200-Meter Freestyle, Swimming
Team USA frontrunner: Unclear
Why you should watch: Team USA could have any number of men in the hunt for the podium in this event, led by Conor Dwyer, Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps. Phelps has one gold and one bronze Olympic medal to his name in this event, but has been surpassed as of late by Dwyer and Lochte. Lochte was fourth at the 2015 world championships, but Dwyer outpaced him at the Arena Pro Swim Series at Minneapolis in November.


Women's 200-Meter Freestyle, Swimming
Team USA frontrunner: Katie Ledecky
Why you should watch: Ledecky is the reigning world champion in this event (along with three other freestyle distances) and has the potential to medal in as many as seven events in Rio.
Other contenders: Missy Franklin, Allison Schmitt


Men's 200-Meter Individual Medley, Swimming
Team USA frontrunner: Michael Phelps
Why you should watch: Can Phelps win his fourth consecutive gold medal in the event? So far, his chances are solid. In 2015, he won two national titles in the distance and set a world-leading time.
Other contenders: Conor Dwyer, Ryan Lochte, Chase Kalisz


Women's 200-Meter Individual Medley, Swimming
Team USA frontrunner: Maya DiRado
Why you should watch: DiRado will look to make her Olympic debut in Rio and could medal in both the 200- and 400-meter IMs, as well as a relay or two. At the 2015 world championships, DiRado won silver in the 400 IM and finished fourth in the 200.
Other contenders: Caitlin Leverenz, Melanie Margalis


Men's C-1 200-Meter, Canoe/Kayak
Team USA frontrunner: Benjamin Hefner
Why you should watch: The U.S. hasn’t had an athlete compete in this event since Jordan Malloch in 2000, when it was contested at 500 meters. Hefner has a chance to help Team USA qualify its first C-1 boat in 16 years after finishing 33rd at the world championships and reaching the semifinals twice on the 2015 world cup circuit.


Men's K-1 200-Meter, Canoe/Kayak
Team USA frontrunner: Tim Hornsby
Why you should watch: Hornsby represented Team USA in this event at the 2012 Games, when the 200-meter distances debuted. After finishing ninth at the 2015 world championships, sixth at the Pan American Games and seventh at two world cup events, Hornsby is a strong contender to reprise his role as Team USA’s sole K-1 representative.


Women's K-1 200-Meter, Canoe/Kayak
Team USA frontrunner: Kaitlyn McElroy
Why you should watch: Carrie Johnson retired after representing the U.S. at the past three Olympics (at 500 meters, then 200), which means whoever earns the spot this time will be a first-time Olympian. Leading the charge is McElroy, who finished sixth at the Pan American Games and 31st at the world championships.