About 10,500 athletes from around the world will compete in 32 sports at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer.
BBC Sport puts the spotlight on the big stars, stories and stats from a global perspective.
Leon Marchand (France) - swimming
The five-time world champion is set to be one the faces of the Games and is tipped to deliver multiple gold medals in the pool. He is aiming to become the first swimmer to win the 200m breaststroke and 200m butterfly double at the Olympics - but to do so will have to race in the two events on the same days.
When 22-year-old Marchand has been breaking records for fun. That included the great Michael Phelps' 400m individual medley world record - which had stood for 15 years - in 2023.
The son of two Olympic swimmers, Marchand is world champion in the 200m individual medley, 400m individual medley and 200m butterfly, will have the chance for four individual gold medals in front of his home fans.
Katie Ledecky (US) – swimming
Set to appear at her fourth Games, 27-year-old Ledecky is one gold medal away from drawing level with compatriot Jenny Thompson as the most successful female Olympic swimmer of all time.
She has the chance to claim the record outright as she is expected to compete in four events - 400m freestyle, 800m freestyle, 1500m freestyle and 4x200m relay.
With 10 medals already, Ledecky can also break Thompson's record of 12 for the most won by an American woman.
Ledecky is favourite to defend the 800m and 1500 freestyle titles - events where she is also the world record holder.
Simone Biles (US) – gymnastics
Biles pulled out of several events at the Tokyo Games after suffering with the 'twisties' - She made an emotional return to win bronze on the beam, her seventh Olympic medal.
She then took time away from the sport before returning to competition in June 2023.
Biles has since added five World Championship medals, including four golds, and has been working regularly with a therapist.
"I feel very confident with where I'm at mentally and physically, that [Tokyo] is not going to happen again just because we have put in the work," she said this year.
Novak Djokovic (Serbia) - tennis
An Olympic gold is the only big prize missing from 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic's collection.
He has made no secret that being on top of the podium at Paris 2024 is his main goal this year.
At Tokyo 2020, when on course for a 'Golden Slam' - all four majors plus Olympic gold - he lost to eventual champion Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals and was also defeated in the bronze medal match.
Djokovic has a history of bouncing back after adversity and will be expected to feed off that huge disappointment this time round.
Noah Lyles (US) - athletics
The American sprinter has set himself some huge goals. He is aiming to become the first man to win four gold medals on the track at the same Olympics, targeting success in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m and 4x400m relays.
He won gold in the first three of those events at the World Championships last year and is hoping to claim a place in the 4x400m team after making his debut in the event at the indoor Worlds.
As if that isn't enough, he has also spoken of wanting to beat Jamaican great Usain Bolt's 100m and 200m world records.
Shelly-Ann (Jamaica) – athletics
She is 37 and has had an up-and-down season but count out Fraser-Pryce at peril in her fifth and final Olympics.
Five-time 100m world champion Fraser-Pryce has struggled with injuries this season but will compete in her signature event in Paris along with team-mate Shericka Jackson, who is chasing her first individual Olympic gold medal.
They will be in the 4x100m relay team as Jamaica seek to defend their title.
"It’s never over until it’s over," the three-time Olympic champion said this month.
