Photo SpecialAthens 2004: Athletes to Watch
From softball pitcher Jennie Finch to swimmer Michael Phelps, meet the hottest U.S. Olympians as the Games begin in Athens. By Lucy Maher
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RULON GARDNER
Sport: Wrestling
The Buzz: After winning gold in Sydney in 2000 (by defeating three-time Russian gold medalist Aleksandr Karelin) and the 2001 world championship, Gardner, 33, suffered a series of setbacks: He lost a toe to frostbite after a snowmobile adventure went wrong in 2002, and suffered a dislocated wrist playing basketball in March. But the 6'2" Greco-Roman wrestler is poised to defend his title.
