Phelps, Ledecky, Lochte: Star Power on Display in Rio

(L-R) US swimmers Conor Dwyer, Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, and Ricky Berens pose with their gold medals after winning the men's 4x200m freestyle relay at the London 2012 Olympic Games on July 31, 2012. FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/GettyImages

RIO DE JANEIRO— Plenty of illuminating star power for the Rio Games on Tuesday.

Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky and Ryan Lochte are in the pool. Simone Biles and the American women’s gymnastics team are on the mat and the Brazilian women’s soccer team will try to pick up the slack for the celebrated men, who have underwhelmed early in the Olympics.

Lochte swam the anchor leg of the 4x200-meter relay, helping the Americans to a comfortable victory in their preliminary heat with a time of 7 minutes, 6.74 seconds. Things didn’t go so well for the American men in rugby sevens when Argentina scored in the closing seconds for a 17-14 victory.

Later on Tuesday, Phelps looks to win gold medal No. 20 when he swims in the 200-meter butterfly against South African Chad le Clos, who beat Phelps in London; the U.S. women’s gymnastics team goes for gold in the team competition; and Lochte is set to make his Rio debut in the preliminaries of the men’s 4x200-meter relay.

First place finisher Simone Biles (C) stands on the podium with second place finisher Aly Raisman and third place finisher Lauren Hernandez during the U.S. women's gymnastics championships on June 26, 2016, in St. Louis. AP Photo/Jeff Roberson