Athens

In 2004 he became the only male track gold medalist in Chinese history. Now he merely has to live up to the expectations of 1.3 billion countrymen by defending his title on his home turf

Michael Phelps

After failing to win a major basketball competition in eight years, the U.S. has taken a new (and distinctly foreign) approach

On top of a trio of debuting countries (the Marshall Islands, Montenegro and the South Pacific nation of Tuvalu), the Games will offer a range of other firsts

HE COULD WRITE POETRY AND QUOTE MACBETH, BUT RUNNING WAS WHAT HERSCHEL WALKER DID BEST