The United States will send 530 athletes to compete at the 2012 London Olympic Games, and for the first time ever, the majority of those athletes are women.
According to Reuters, Team USA will consist of 269 women and 261 men.
U.S. Olympic Committee Chief Executive Scott Blackmun said in a statement.
“They are our nation’s greatest athletes and embody what it means to be American… I’m also proud that for the first time in history, the U.S. Olympic Team features more women than men.”
The United States will be competing in 25 of the 38 disciplines at the 2012 Olympic Games. The team will be competing in a total of 246 medal events. Team USA is expected to compete with China for the overall medal count.
Most of the athletes traveling to London this year are competing in their first Olympics. Seven athletes on the team have already competed in four Olympics and another 21 athletes have three Olympic Games under their belt.
Teresa Edwards, the team’s chef de mission, said:
“Whether competing at their first Games or fifth, the athletes on this team have made countless sacrifices, dedicating themselves to the pursuit of their Olympic dreams and to being their best both on and off the field of play.”
The Huffington Post reports that 124 American athletes competing in the 2012 London Olympics have already won medals. Seventy six athletes have already won gold medals.
The 2012 London Olympics start on July 27th in London.
