London 2012 Olympics: women outnumber men for first time in USA Games team Spearheading the United States' challenge will be swimmers Michael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin. Phelps won a historic eight gold medals in Beijing and needs just two more to match Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina's record as the most decorated Olympian of all time. Coughlin, who has 11 Olympic medals, will join Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres as the US' most successful female Olympic athletes if she wins one more in London. Seven members of the team are returning for their fifth Olympics, including high jumper Amy Acuff and equestrian rider Karen O'Connor, who at 54 is also the oldest American athlete. Katie Ledecky, a freestyle swimmer from Maryland, is the youngest competitor at just 15 years old. "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," said Teresa Edwards, US team chef de mission and five-time Olympic medallist in basketball. The US team is slightly smaller than Team GB, whose 542 athletes were entered on Monday, but larger than the Chinese team, which has been streamlined from 639 at Beijing 2008 to 396 for London. The US athletes should be easy to spot when they step into the stadium for the opening ceremony on July 27 as they will all be sporting Gallic-like berets as part of their uniforms designed by Ralph Lauren.