Midway through the Summer Olympics, picking your favorite American champion may be tough. Team USA members have made daily appearances at medal ceremonies, winning gold and setting records in major sports such as swimming, gymnastics and tennis. Familiar faces and new stars flashed victory smiles during Week 1 of the London games, which run through next Sunday.

Four of the most prominent champs earning front-page attention are swimmers Michael Phelps and Missy Franklin, gymnast Gabby Douglas and tennis player Serena Williams. Phelps, competing in his third and last Olympics, boosted his overall medal total to 22 -- including 18 gold ones for first place. Both are world records for any sport. On the women's swim team, 17-year-old high school senior Missy Franklin of Colorado became the first woman to compete in seven events at an Olympics. She won five medals, including four golds, and set a world record in the backstroke. Rebecca Soni of New Jersey became the first U.S. swimmer, male or female, to successfully defend an Olympic title in the breaststroke -- also setting a world record time.

In gymnastics, Douglas is a breakout sensation who won two gold medals so far -- including one for individual all-around performance, never earned by an African American gymnast before. The 16-year-old from Virginia competes again this week -- on uneven bars Monday and balance beam Tuesday. At the tennis arena last weekend, Williams jumped and did a brief dance after winning her first individual gold medal by beating Maria Sharapova of Russia.

Michael Phelps says: "The president of the United States called me yesterday. It was pretty cool."

Serena Williams says: "I remember thinking, Serena, this is your best chance to win a gold medal. Pull it together. I was thinking: You gotta do this." -- Post-match interview Saturday

Missy Franklin says: "I’m only 17. There's no such thing as fatigue."