The Summer Olympics have always been a platform for African-American athletes to shine. This year's event will be no exception as several Black athletes from across the U.S. prepare to reach for gold as part of Team USA.

The Summer Olympic Games in Bejing, China get underway on August 8 and will conclude on August 24. Approximately 10,500 athletes are expected to participate in the Games, with around 20,000 accredited media bringing the Games to the world through various media outlets.

We've highlighted several Black athletes who hope to fulfill lifelong dreams when competing in the Games:

Lauren Williams (Pittsburgh, PA) - Williams captured the final spot on the Olympic Team for the women’s 100m with her third-place finish (10.90) at the 2008 Olympic Trials. Williams brought home the silver medal in the women's 100m at the 2007 IAAF World Outdoor Championships. Williams adamantly supports a foundation called "Sub 11", where every time run under 11 seconds features a $1000 donation to Fun4Kidz for a student going into their senior year in high school.

Cullen Jones (The Bronx, NY) - With dreams of becoming a professional sprinter, Jones traded in his spikes for goggles. Jones qualified for the 2008 Olympic team by placing third in the 100m free at Trials. He holds six medals and is the first African-American to break a long-course world-record in swimming. Jones currently holds world records in 400m FR-R, set at 2006 Pan Pacific Champs; holds AR in 400m FR-R, set at 2006 Pan Pacific Champs. In his first Olympics, Jones has an extremely good shot at bringing home a gold.

Shawn Crawford - (Van Wyck, SC) - Coached by Bob Kersee, 2004 Olympic Gold medalist Shawn Crawford is looking to bounce back from an injury-plagued 2005-2006 by winning another gold in the 200m. Crawford's accomplishments include: 2004 Olympic 200m gold medalist; Olympic 4x100m silver medalist; 2004 World Indoor 60m silver medalist; 2001 World Outdoor 200m bronze medalist; 2004 U.S. Indoor 60m champion; 3-time USA Outdoor 200m champion ('01, '02, ‘04); 2001 World Indoor 200m gold medalist; and 2001 Goodwill Games champion.

Men's Basketball Team - With Mike Krzyzewski at the helm, the superstars of the U.S.A. Men's basketball team are poised to reclaim gold after a dismal performance in the 2004 Olympics. Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Carlos Boozer, Dwight Howard and Chris Paul lead Team USA on their road to redemption. After hearing of LeBron James' gold medal guaranteed, teammate Carmelo Anthony said, "He guaranteed it? Well, if he said it we have to go and do it."

Allyson Felix (Los Angeles, CA) - Allyson Felix has cemented her place in history as one of the best U.S. track and field athletes. In 2007, Felix became the second woman in history to win 3 gold medals at one World Championships. Her sprinting accomplishments are impressive and include: 2-time World Outdoor 200m champion ('05, '07); 2007 World Outdoor 4x100m and 4x400m gold medalist; 3-time USA Outdoor 200m champion ('04, '05, ‘07); 2004 Olympic 200m silver medalist; 2004 USA junior champion; 2003 USA Indoor champion; 2003 Pan American Games bronze medalist; 5-time California state prep champion (3-time 100m, 2-time 200m).

T.C. Dantzler (Harvey, IL) - There may not be a better man on the mat than T.C. Dantzler. He is the 2008 U.S. Nationals champion and came in second during the Pan American Games in 2008. Dantzler will be attempting to get his first Olympic gold with the support of his wife Tanya and their two sons Thomas Curtis III and Tyce.

For more information about the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and to view more athlete profiles, go to Team USA.

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