They've put in innumerable hours of sweat, blood and tears to get where they are today.
They are among the best of the best, and are ready to prove their mettle. A total of 529 athletes from 45 states are representing the United States at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
They are competing in events as diverse as athletics, fencing, rowing, soccer and basketball. For everyone - from swimmer Katie Ledecky, 15, to 54-year-old equestrian jumper Karen O’Connor - these Games represent the culmination of all the hard work and dedication they've put in to win the coveted medal.
It's time to meet the Olympians from Patch towns in California!
Here are a few quick facts about your Olympians:
Samuel Mikulak
Sex : Male
Competing in Gymnastics
Event / position / class : Artistic
Age : 19
From : Newport Beach
Tumua Anae
Sex : Female
Competing in Water Polo
Event / position / class : Goalkeeper
Age : 23
From : Newport Beach (USC)
Tony Azevedo
Sex : Male
Competing in Water Polo
Event / position / class : Attacker
Age : 30
From : Long Beach (Stanford)
Howard Bach
Sex : Male
Competing in Badminton
Event / position / class : Doubles
Age : 33
From : San Francisco
Ryan Bailey
Sex : Male
Competing in Water Polo
Event / position / class : Center
Age : 36
From : Long Beach (UC Irvine)
Layne Beaubien
Sex : Male
Competing in Water Polo
Event / position / class : Defender
Age : 36
From : Coronado (Stanford)
Jillian Camarena- Williams
Sex : Female
Competing in Track and Field
Event / position / class : Shot Put
Age : 30
From : Woodland (Stanford)
Tyson Chandler
Sex : Male
Competing in Basketball
Event / position / class : Center
Age : 29
From : Compton
Annika Dries
Sex : Female
Competing in Water Polo
Event / position / class : Center
Age : 20
From : Laguna Beach (Stanford)
Jan Ebeling
Sex : Male
Competing in Equestrian
Event / position / class : Dressage - Individual, Team
Age : 53
From : Moorpark
Scott Gault
Sex : Male
Competing in Rowing
Event / position / class: Men's Four
Age : 29
From : Piedmont (Washington)
Sarah Hammer
Sex : Female
Competing in Cycling
Event / position / class : Omnium (Multi races), Team Pursuit
Age : 28
From : Temecula
James Harden
Sex : Male
Competing in Basketball
Event / position / class : Guard
Age : 22
From : Lakewood (Arizona)
Jessica Hardy
Sex : Female
Competing in Swimming
Event / position / class : 50m free; 100m free; 400m free relay
Age : 25
From : Long Beach (California)
Russell Holmes
Sex : Male
Competing in Volleyball
Event / position / class : Middle Blocker
Age : 30
From : Fountain Valley (BYU)
Tim Hutten
Sex : Male
Competing in Water Polo
Event / position / class : Defender
Age : 27
From : Seal Beach (UC Irvine)
Kristian Ipsen
Sex : Male
Competing in Diving
Event / position / class : 3m synchro
Age : 19
From : Clayton (Stanford)
Kibwe Johnson
Sex : Male
Competing in Athletics
Event / position / class : Hammer Throw
Age : 31
From : San Francisco (Georgia)
Jennifer Kessy
Sex : Female
Competing in Volleyball
Event / position / class : Beach
Age : 34
From : San Juan Capistrano (USC)
Kara Kohler
Sex : Female
Competing in Rowing
Event / position / class : Quadruple Sculls
Age : 21
From : Clayton (California)
Mariya Koroleva
Sex : Female
Competing in Synchro Swimming
Event / position / class : Duet
Age : 22
From : Concord (Stanford)
Chay Lapin
Sex : Male
Competing in Water Polo
Event / position / class : Goalkeeper
Age : 25
From : Long Beach (UCLA)
Esther Lofgren
Sex : Female
Competing in Rowing
Event / position / class : Eight
Age : 27
From : Newport Beach (Harvard)
Khatuna Lorig
Sex : Female
Competing in Archery
Event / position / class : Recurve - Individual, Team
Age : 38
From : West Hollywood
Paul Lotman
Sex : Male
Competing in Volleyball
Event / position / class : Outside Hitter
Age : 26
From : Lakewood (Long Beach State)
John Mann
Sex : Male
Competing in Water Polo
Event / position / class : Center
Age : 27
From : Newport Beach (California)
McKayla Maroney
Sex : Female
Competing in Gymnastics
Event / position / class : Artistic
Age : 16
From : Long Beach
Alexander Massialas
Sex : Male
Competing in Fencing
Event / position / class : Foil - Individual, Team
Age : 18
From : San Francisco (Stanford)
Alex Morgan
Sex : Female
Competing in Soccer
Event / position / class : Forward
Age : 23
From : Diamond Bar (California)
Julie Nichols
Sex : Female
Competing in Rowing
Event / position / class : Lightweight Double Sculls
Age : 34
From : Livermore (California)
Alex Osborne
Sex : Male
Competing in Rowing
Event / position / class : Quadruple Sculls
Age : 25
From : Sherman Oaks (Stanford)
Megan Rapinoe
Sex : Female
Competing in Soccer
Event / position / class : Midfield
Age : 27
From : Redding (Portland)
Amy Rodriguez
Sex : Female
Competing in Soccer
Event / position / class : Forward
Age : 25
From : Lake Forest (USC)
Sean Rosenthal
Sex : Male
Competing in Volleyball
Event / position / class : Beach
Age : 32
From : Hermosa Beach
Kyla Ross
Sex : Female
Competing in Gymnastics
Event / position / class : Artistic
Age : 15
From : Aliso Viejo
Shannon Rowbury
Sex : Female
Competing in Athletics
Event / position / class : 1500m
Age : 27
From : San Francisco (Sacred Heart Cathedral)
Melissa Seidemann
Sex : Female
Competing in Water Polo
Event / position / class : Defender
Age : 22
From : Walnut Creek (Stanford)
Jesse Smith
Sex : Male
Competing in Water Polo
Event / position / class : Utility
Age : 29
From : Coronado (Pepperdine)
Jessica Steffens
Sex : Female
Competing in Water Polo
Event / position / class : Defender
Age : 25
From : Danville (Stanford)
Maggie Steffens
Sex : Female
Competing in Water Polo
Event / position / class : Defender
Age : 19
From : Danville (Stanford)
Chloe Sutton
Sex : Female
Competing in Swimming
Event / position / class : 400m free
Age : 20
From : Mission Viejo
Brian Thornton
Sex : Male
Competing in Volleyball
Event / position / class : Setter
Age : 27
From : San Clemente (UC Irvine)
Brenda Villa
Sex: Female
Competing in Water Polo
Event/position/class: Attacker
Age: 32
From: Commerce (Stanford)
Zach Vlahos
Sex : Male
Competing in Rowing
Event / position / class : Eight
Age : 23
From : Piedmont (California)
Rena Wang
Sex : Female
Competing in Badminton
Event / position / class : Singles
Age : 20
From : Arcadia
Lauren Wenger
Sex : Female
Competing in Water Polo
Event / position / class : All-Around
Age : 28
From : Long Beach
Russell Westbrook
Sex : Male
Competing in Basketball
Event / position / class : Guard
Age : 23
From : Long Beach
Adam Wright
Sex : Male
Competing in Water Polo
Event / position / class : Attacker
Age : 35
From : Seal Beach (California)
Erica Wu
Sex : Female
Competing in Table Tennis
Event / position / class : Team
Age : 16
From : Arcadia
Lily Zhang
Sex : Female
Competing in Table Tennis
Event / position / class : Singles, Team
Age : 16
From : Palo Alto (Palo Alto High)
Ariel Hsing
Sex : Female
Competing in Table Tennis
Event / position / class : Singles, Team
Age : 16
From : San Jose (Valley Christian)
Shea Buckner
Sex: Male
Competing in Water Polo
Event / position / class: Attacker
Age: 25
From: Villa Park (California)
Rachel Buehler
Sex: Female
Competing in Soccer
Event / position / class: Defender
Age: 26
From: Del Mar (Stanford)
Erin Cafaro
Sex: Female
Competing in Rowing
Event / position / class: Women’s Eight
Age: 29
From: Modesto (California)
Natalie Coughlin
Sex: Female
Competing in Swimmng
Event / position / class: 400 free relay
Age: 29
From: Vallejo (California)
Ryan Hall
Sex: Male
Competing in Track and Field
Event / position / class: Marathon
Age: 29
From: Big Bear Lake (Stanford)
Peter Hudnut
Sex: Male
Competing in Water Polo
Event / position / class: Defender
Age: 32
From: Los Angeles (Stanford)
Heather Petri
Sex: Female
Competing in Water Polo
Event / position / class: Attacker
Age: 34
From: Orinda (California)
Molly Vandemoer
Sex: Female
Competing in Sailing
Event / position / class: Elliott 6m
Age: 33
From: Redwood City (Hawaii)
Peter Varellas
Sex: Male
Competing in Water Polo
Event / position / class: Attacker
Age: 27
From: Moraga (Stanford)
Kerri Walsh
Sex: Female
Competing in Beach Volleyball
Event / position / class: Setter
Age: 33
From: Saratoga (Stanford)
Looking for a way to celebrate the Olympics locally? You can find local events for Olympic Fun Day on July 28 on the Let’s Move website, which has a page about how to set up your own local Olympics.
Also check out our Directory and Events Calendar for listings of places where you can learn and participate in Olympic sports ranging from basketball to karate, gymnastics, swimming and more.
