Jennifer Lukas, CTVOlympics.ca Staff 

The London 2012 Olympic Games get under way in six months time. To mark the occasion, CTVOlympics.ca staff writers have compiled a list of the top moments that have them excited ahead of the Games.

1. British heptathlete's Jess Ennis on home soil

Britain's poster girl for the 2012 Olympics has gone from zero to hero since 2008. After a stress-fracture ruled Jessica Ennis out of the Beijing Olympics, the Sheffield, UK, native returned, altered her technique and proved herself the best all-around female athlete on the planet. 

The reigning European champion and 2009 World title-holder slipped slightly in 2011 to World silver, and as a rivalry with new world-champ Tatyana Chernova blossomed, Ennis' resolve seemed to grow in strength. Less than one month into 2012, 26-year-old Ennis remains focused on beating her Russian rival in front of a home crowd. 

"I suppose some people want to think that Tatyana Chernova winning gold at the Worlds has taken the pressure off me," Ennis recently told the BBC, "but for me it's put pressure on in a different way - 'can Jess do it again? Can she beat Chernova?’"

2. Canadian women's soccer: World Cup redemption

Canada's women's soccer team was ranked sixth in the world before they flubbed out of the Women's World Cup tournament in the first round last year. The embarrassing result was the precursor to bringing in British coach John Herdman, a strong communicator who, judging by recent results at the Vancouver qualifying tournament, has already made an impression on the team.

With Herdman on the bench and the best women's footballer in Canada's history, Christine Sinclair, on the field, Canada is looking to improve on its 8th-place finish in Beijing.

3. Women's boxing debuts

Women's boxing makes its official Olympic debut this summer in London. Canada's Mary Spencer still needs to officially qualify, but she is considered the gold-medal favourite ahead of the Games. 

Spencer has already proved that she will do anything for gold--the 27-year-old recently defeated her good friend-turned-fiercest-rival, Ariane Fortin, to become Canada's national champion in the 75-kg division. As a result, Fortin will not be able to qualify for the Games.

4. Swimming comebacks

Australia's Ian Thorpe and Janet Evans of the United States are among several athletes looking to come back from retirement to compete in the London Olympics. 

Thorpe was Michael Phelps' biggest rival before he retired in 2006, and it's tough to say whether he'll be able to regain his form in time to qualify for the Games. 

Evans is a 40-year-old mother of two who retired after the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. To put things into perspective, Great Britain's Rebecca Adlington was the first swimmer able to beat out Evans' 800m freestyle record at the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Evans had set that record in 1989 when Adlington was just six months old. Even if they don't qualify for a single ‘A Final’ race, it will be inspiring just to see these swimmers in the pool once again.

5. Emilie Heymans goes for four 

No female diver has ever won medals in four consecutive Olympic Games. Canada's Emilie Heymans could have two chances at accomplishing this feat in London--she is expected to compete in the 3m springboard and, with teammate Jennifer Abel, the synchronized 3m springboard.

Jennifer Lukas is the Digital lead Aquatics sports producer for CTVOlympics.ca. London 2012 will be her third Olympic Games. 

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