Maurice Greene

The 26-year-old, whose world record of 9.79 seconds was set in Athens last June, has all the credentials to go down in Olympic history as one of the greats - apart from being the fastest man on earth - ever. His second-best time of 9.80 - in the World Championships final in Seville - is 0.04 faster than anyone else, and he's also set the fastest wind-legal and wind-assisted times this year. Being the man for the big occassion, Greene will undoubtedly want to eclipse his own world mark in the final.

Donovan Bailey

With most of the hype centred on one person, it's easy to overlook the other competitors on the medal trail. Trinidad's Ato Boldon, perennial bridesmaid and bronze medallist four years ago, represents arguably the biggest threat. He recorded 9.95 this year in Lausanne, pipping 21-year-old Nigerian Francis Obikwelu into second, despite his personal best of 9.97.

British athletes will be hoping for a happier time of it than in Atlanta four years ago. Linford Christie's disqualification was a sad end to a brilliant career, although Dwain Chambers will be hoping to use his bronze in Seville as a springboard to further success.

Bruny Surin

The Canadian pair of Atlanta gold-medallist Donovan Bailey and Seville silver-medallist Bruny Surin are now 32 and 33 respectively, and it's surely their last stab at success on a world stage. They've been a shadow of their former selves this season, though.

Sportlist prediction: Greene to scorch it in 9.81

Marion Jones

Now a worldly-wise 24 years old, the only thing that could come between Jones and the 100m gold, is her own ambition. She's got designs on an unprecedented quintet of golds - and although that five-fronted assault would distract lesser atheletes, she's got the focus to make it stick in the 100m, 200m, long jump, and both the 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

Inger Miller

She's twice recorded the fastest time in the world this year - matching a 10,78 in the Grand Prix event at Crystal Palace last month with an identical time in Berlin - in her last race before the games. However, the remarkable 10.49 world record set by Florence-Griffith Joyner in Seoul would seem a couple of tenths out of reach at the moment.

Chandra Sturrup

Inger Miller did well to keep up with Jones in Seville - finishing just under a tenth behind in 10.79, and should push the Californian all the way - although her best this year is a tardy 10.91 in Monaco.

Chandra Sturrup is the second quickest woman on the planet this year, set in the Bahaman Olympic Trials - and she's a good bet for a medal, as is Greece's Ekaterina Thanou, and the experienced Zhanna Pintusevich-Block of the Ukraine.

Sportlist prediction: Jones to roar home in 10.67.