The Tokyo Olympics may have begun earlier this week but there is no doubt that Friday's opening ceremony will properly kick off the summer festival of sport once and for all.
After a year's delay due to the coronavirus pandemic, this is the moment that Team GB stars have waited five long and laborious years for. But where will the summer success, notably the medals, come from this year?
Covering every single sport and the main athletes you need to look out for, Sportsmail has produced a definitive guide to your favourite discipline - and has provided a prediction as to how many medals will be British this summer...
Sportsmail gives you the sport-by-sport list of Team GB's medal hopes for the Tokyo Olympics
ATHLETICS: July 30 - August 8
DINA ASHER-SMITH is the headline act of a squad now shorn of all three Super Saturday stars after Mo Farah failed to qualify and Jessica Ennis-Hill and Greg Rutherford retired.
The sprint queen is the world champion over 200 metres but American Gabby Thomas will start that race as favourite, while in the 100m the Brit will have to beat Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
Dina Asher-Smith is the Team GB poster girl for athletics going into Tokyo this summer
World heptathlon champion KATARINA JOHNSON-THOMPSON insists she is fully fit after recovering from a ruptured achilles but her form since returning has raised doubts about her medal credentials.
Other home hopes come via a talented crop of female middle-distance runners, notably JEMMA REEKIE and KEELY HODGKINSON (800m) and LAURA MUIR (1500m). But CINDY SEMBER (100m hurdles) and HOLLY BRADSHAW (pole vault) should also not be discounted.
Of the men, ANDREW POZZI (110m hurdles) and ELLIOT GILES (800m) are the best bet of individual medals, and Britain’s 4 x 100m team are looking to strike gold for the first time since Athens 2004.
One to watch: Dina Asher-Smith
Rio 2016 medals: 6
Predicted Tokyo medals: 6
Gold — Men’s 4 x 100m relay
Silver — Dina Asher-Smith (200m), Laura Muir (1500m), Jemma Reekie (800m), Women’s 4 x 100m relay Bronze — Andrew Pozzi (110m hurdles)
BOXING July 24 - August 8
For strength in depth, this Team GB boxing squad arguably beats even that of London 2012, when household names like Anthony Joshua and Nicola Adams emerged.
All 11 fighters picked for Tokyo can claim to be in medal contention and you would back at least a couple for gold — LAUREN PRICE (middleweight) and PAT McCORMACK (welterweight).
Pat McCormack is one of 11 British boxers looking to be in medal contention this summer
Like Price and McCormack, GALAL YAFAI (flyweight) is the Commonwealth Games champion.
But all seven of the men have won at least one major medal since Rio 2016, including LUKE McCORMACK (lightweight) — the twin brother of Pat — and captain FRAZER CLARKE (super heavyweight).
CHEAVON CLARKE (heavyweight), BEN WHITTAKER (light heavyweight) and PETER McGRAIL (featherweight) are the other men in action, while CAROLINE DUBOIS (lightweight), KARRISS ARTINGSTALL (featherweight) and mum-of-three CHARLEY DAVISON (flyweight) complete a talented women’s line-up.
One to watch: Lauren Price
Rio 2016 medals: 3
Predicted Tokyo medals: 6
Gold — Lauren Price (middleweight) Bronze — Karriss Artingstall (featherweight), Frazer Clarke (super heavyweight) Pat McCormack (welterweight), Peter McGrail (featherweight), Ben Whittaker (light heavyweight)
CYCLING July 24 - August 8
Road: July 24-28; Mountain bike: July 26-27; BMX racing: July 29-30; BMX freestyle: July 31-Aug 1; Track: Aug 2-8.
Do not expect the sort of domination we have become so accustomed to at the velodrome down the years.
At the most recent World Championships in February 2020, Britain won only three medals in Olympic events and none of them gold.
That said, Team GB’s track stars always peak for the Games and their new bikes and kit will undoubtedly improve their performance.
All eyes will be on couple Jason and Laura Kenny in the Olympic velodrome once again
Once again, all eyes will be on golden couple JASON and LAURA KENNY, who you would bank on winning medals in the men’s team sprint and women’s team pursuit at the very least.
They also each have two individual events, with Jason needing one more win to become the first Briton to win seven gold medals and Laura two medals off becoming the outright most decorated British female.
The men’s team pursuit quartet, including three-time gold medallist ED CLANCY, will find it hard to win an event which has been theirs since 2008 as Denmark are now the dominant force. But this cycling squad have more medal shots than ever outside of the track, including CHARLOTTE WORTHINGTON in the new BMX freestyle. GERAINT THOMAS is the star attraction on the road.
One to watch: Laura Kenny
Rio 2016 medals: 12
Predicted Tokyo medals: 3
Silver — Men’s team sprint, Women’s team pursuit Bronze — Charlotte Worthington (BMX freestyle)
DIVING July 25 - August 7
Thirteen years since he made his debut in Beijing as a 14-year-old, TOM DALEY could be about to enjoy his best Olympics to date.
The two-time 10m platform world champion claimed bronzes at London and Rio. Yet the form he showed in winning two golds at a recent World Cup in Tokyo — the second being in the synchro with new partner MATTY LEE — suggests he is diving as well as ever.
Tom Daley could enjoy his best ever Olympics campaign to date 14 years after his debut
JACK LAUGHER won a gold and silver in Rio and may well repeat that success this time, now diving with DAN GOODFELLOW in the 3m springboard synchro.
Laugher’s girlfriend LOIS TOULSON and EDEN CHENG (10m synchro) have podium potential, and fans of Channel 4’s First Dates will be interested in ANDREA SPENDOLINI-SIRIEIX. She is the daughter of Fred Sirieix, the French maitre d’, and a rising star of the sport in the 10m platform.
One to watch: Jack Laugher
Rio 2016 medals: 3
Predicted Tokyo medals: 5
Gold — Jack Laugher & Dan Goodfellow (3m springboard synchro); Silver — Tom Daley (10m platform), Laugher (3m springboard), Lois Toulson & Eden Cheng (10m platform synchro); Bronze — Tom Daley & Matty Lee (10m platform synchro)
EQUESTRIAN July 23 - August 7
Having dominated dressage over the last decade, CHARLOTTE DUJARDIN goes for glory again — but this time with a different horse. Valegro, who Dujardin won the individual title on at London 2012 and Rio 2016, has retired so she will instead ride Gio in Tokyo. The 34-year-old is joined by six-time Olympian CARL HESTER, 54, and debutant CHARLOTTE FRY in the team event.
Such is Britain’s excellence in equestrian sport right now, their record haul of five medals in London could be under threat.
Charlotte Dujardin is going for gold once again after dominating the dressage over 10 years
In eventing, the team are so strong that they have not even picked reigning world champion Ros Canter and 2019 Badminton winner Piggy March. Instead, world No 1 OLIVER TOWNEND leads the charge, with LAURA COLLETT and TOM McEWEN both in medal contention.
The success the British riders have enjoyed in jumping at the last two Games should also continue, with BEN MAHER looking to emulate Nick Skelton’s famous win in Rio. HOLLY SMITH is the first woman in the jumping squad in 45 years, with London 2012 team winner SCOTT BRASH completing the trio.
One to watch: Charlotte Dujardin
Rio 2016 medals: 3
Predicted Tokyo medals: 6
Gold — Laura Collett (individual eventing), Ben Maher (individual jumping) Silver — Scott Brash (individual jumping), Oliver Townend (individual eventing), Team eventing Bronze — Tom McEwen (individual eventing)
GYMNASTICS July 24 - August 3
Artistic: July 24-Aug 3; Trampoline: July 29-31
The Olympics offers a chance to showcase what is good about gymnastics following a year of shocking stories of abuse.
British hopes largely rest once again with MAX WHITLOCK, who won two golds in one memorable afternoon in Rio and is this time just looking to defend his pommel horse title.
Max Whitlock is Team GB's best chance of a gymnastics gold medal on the pommel horse
JOE FRASER has a chance in the parallel bars, which he won at the 2019 World Championships, yet the men’s team are likely to be just outside the medal places.
The chances of Britain’s female gymnasts standing on the podium are slim. Having controversially overlooked their two individual world medallists, Becky and Ellie Downie, Team GB need talented 16-year-old twins JESSICA and JENNIFER GADIROVA to produce something special.
One to watch: Max Whitlock
Rio 2016 medals: 7
Predicted Tokyo medals: 1
Gold — Max Whitlock (pommel horse)
ROWING July 23-30
A lot has changed at British Rowing since they topped the medal table in Rio, but their 45-strong Tokyo squad — which includes 37 debutants — is packed with potential.
Among the eight returning Olympians is one nobody expected to be back in a boat. HELEN GLOVER took time out from the sport to start a family after winning her second gold medal in the pair in 2016. But despite having three children under the age of three, the 35-year-old could not resist the challenge of going for gold No 3 and has already shown form with new partner POLLY SWANN.
Helen Glover is looking to win gold after becoming a mother of three since Rio 2016
The men’s four and eight also appear to be coming good for Games time, winning the recent European Championships and World Cup, despite the departure of legendary coach Jurgen Grobler.
OLLIE COOK, MATT ROSSITER, RORY GIBBS and SHOLTO CARNEGIE are the quartet tasked with sustaining a winning run dating back to Sydney 2000, while MOE SBIHI is the sole survivor from the eight who won in Rio.
One to watch: Helen Glover
Rio 2016 medals: 5
Predicted Tokyo medals: 2
Gold — Men’s four; Silver — Men’s eight
SAILING July 25 - August 4
Brittania usually rules the waves at an Olympics and they have multiple medal contenders.
HANNAH MILLS will become the most successful female Olympic sailor of all time if she claims a medal in the 470, which she won with Saskia Clark in Rio. With new crew EILIDH McINTYRE, they won the 2019 World Championships yet only finished fifth in the most recent worlds in March.
Hannah Mills will become the most successful female Olympic sailor of all time if she medals
GILES SCOTT is Team GB’s other returning champion in a Finn class which has been dropped for Paris 2024 but his
