Sally McLellan
Athletics
Sally McLellan is an Australian hurdler with pace to burn and a genuine medal prospect in Beijing. Thankfully, that's where the similarities with drama queen Jana Rawlinson stop.
Rawlinson, the nation's 400m hurdle representative for the 2008 Games, will forever be remembered for her 'battle' with injury leading into the Athens Games.
McLellan, however, prefers to call a spade a spade and let her spikes do the talking.
As a 19-year-old, and legitimate medal chance, the star sprinter crashed into the final hurdle of the Commonwealth Games 100 metres final in Melbourne.
Instead of searching for sympathy, the teenager uttered words that reflected the burning desire for success.
"It kills at the moment — my knee and my shoulder and my insides."
McLellan has reached the semi-finals of both the 100m sprint and 100m hurdles at the world championships in Osaka since the MCG heartbreak.
She holds the national 100m hurdles record and has made that event her sole focus for the Beijing Games.
The Gold Coast sprinter has been touted as a medal chance but would need to improve on her best time to place on the podium.
McLellan's personal best is 12.72secs, which is .12secs shy of the time that reached the final in Athens in 2004.
American Joanna Hayes won gold in Athens in an Olympic record time of 12.38secs.
Patrick Mills
Basketball
Lurking in the giant shadow of Boomers centre Andrew Bogut is a skilful guard fast becoming one of the hottest properties in US college basketball.
Patrick Mills turns 20 on the third day of competition in Beijing but could be 'The Man' by the end of the basketball tournament.
The 183cm is plying his trade with St Mary's in the NCAA.
He set the record for most points scored in a single game by a freshaman with 37 in his school's stunning 99-87 win over Oregon last November.
Mills has rejuvenated Brian Goorjian's national team and has people wanting to watch the Boomers. He may not be the most important player in the side yet but he is the most exciting.
Keep a close eye on how Mills fares in the warm-up clash with the USA and then hope he gets the chance to dazzle on the big stage when show time arrives.
Mark French
Cycling
Before even mounting his bike in Beijing, Mark French has already achieved.
French was handed a life ban from cycling in 2004, told he would never race for Australia again, and forced to bear the brunt of a sporting world shaking their head at the sport he loved.
The cycling community - and the general public - turned its back on the then 19-year-old after syringes and 13 empty vials of the banned hormone EquiGen were found in his room at the AIS.
Now, after clearing his name in a bitter battle, French gets his chance to become the national hero he dreamed of.
He wants to be part of the sprint team and a crack in the individual sprint while a spot in the kierin is not out of reach.
French's talent is undoubted. His motivation is still there and he has only one goal: "To be an Olympic champion."
Michelle Wu
Diving
Michelle Wu way is small enough to fit in the carry-on luggage of most of her team-mates but big things are expected of the pint-sized diver.
Wu, 16, stands at just 137cm tall and weighs 33kg. She will make Olympic history in Beijing when she becomes the youngest Australian diver to compete at the Games.
The fearless youngster burst onto the international stage at the 2006 Commonwealth Games trials as a 12-year-old when she nailed a perfect 10 score in the 10m platform.
She will compete in the 10m platform both in the individual and synchronised events in China.
"I am training really hard at the moment, so going into the Games I just want to do my best and hope the best results will follow," Wu said.
She lists Australian team-mates Robert and Chantelle Newbery as her role models.
Kate Hollywood
Hockey
Every Olympics has a glamour girl and hockey star Kate Hollywood, 21, has the name and physical attributes to ensure she's one of the most photographed athletes at the Games.
With looks befitting her surname, the 2006 Commonwealth Games gold medallist is bound to capture plenty of attention in Beijing.
But on the pitch she is equally impressive.
Hollywood is at the forefront of the women's hockey team's new brigade. Her speed in midfield will be pivotal to the team's chances.
The Hockeyroos head into the Games as a strong chance to finish amongst the medals.
Australia is currently ranked fourth in the world and has been pooled with the Netherlands (No.1), China (sixth), Spain (seventh), Korea (10th) and South Africa (12th).
Ten Aussies will be making their debut, while striker Nikki Hudson, goalkeeper Rachel Imison and defender Angie Imison are all competing in their third Olympic Games.
Kim Crow
Rowing
Kim Crow had her Olympic dream crushed - or so she thought - when doctors told her a foot injury would abruptly cut short a promising athletics career.
Crow, the daughter of AFL journeyman Max, won silver in the 400m hurdles at the 2001 world youth championships.
However, a persistent injury in her foot cruelled hopes of making the national track team.
Crow took up rowing in mid-2005 when she was spotted on a rowing machine by a coach at the Victorian Institute of Sport.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Crow has since been part of the gold medal winning Linz World Cup pair in 2007 and qualified for the Games with her coxless pairs partner Sarah Cook.
It's hardly a surprise the Victorian succeeded with the transformation from runner to rower. Crow scored a perfect 99.95 in her Year 12 VCE and is studying to be a lawyer.
Crow is 189cm tall and uses her powerful frame to great affect. She is rated a strong medal chance and has declared gold her goal.
Craig Stevens
Swimming
The fascinating career of Craig Stevens continues in Beijing with a little less fanfare than was the case four years ago.
Stevens will - injury permitting - front for the 400m and 1500m at the August Games in China.
This time, however, there won't be the giant shadow of Ian Thorpe looming over him.
Stevens, for those returning from Mars, is the man who qualified for the 400m when Thorpe was disqualified at the Australian trials.
Stevens finished second in the final to join Grant Hackett in the team for Athens but, under intense pressure as the media went into a frenzy, stood aside and concentrated on the 1500m.
Stevens, 28 in July, has won a world championship bronze in the 800m since Athens and also gone under the 15-minute barrier for the 1500.
His Beijing preparations have not been without incident.
He returned to light lap training in July after fracturing his ribs in a training mishap in the gym and will be racing the clock to be at 100 percent for what is likely to be an Olympic swansong.
Scott Martin
Shot Put
The big bald head made famous by a bank advertisement during the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne returns to our screens two years on.
Scott Martin, 25, was the daunting discus and shot put figure taking ballet lessons in a bid to improve his technique. It must have worked as he tossed his way to gold in the discus and shot put bronze in Melbourne.
He will not be competing in the discus at the Games but has shown strong form with shot in hand.
He started 2008 with yet another shot put personal best, throwing 20.63m at the Sydney Track Classic, before claiming the Australian record at the World Athletics Tour Melbourne with 21.26m.
The 190cm and 130kg Martin is often described as a gentle giant but will need to unleash his competitive beast to take down the best in the world.
Emily Seebohm
Swimming
Youngsters will often step up and make household names of themselves every four years.
Emily Seebohm, the 16-year-old schoolgirl, has the skill and desire to do so in Beijing.
The swimming sensation has already held the 50m backstroke world record and is the only Australian woman to break one minute in the 100m version of the event.
She qualified for her first Olympic team at the trials when she broke the one-minute barrier.
World record holder Natalie Coughlin is deservedly carrying the 'one to beat' tag into the Games. Her clash with Seebohm is shaping as one of the fiercest battles to be staged in the Beijing pool.
If this venture into the Olympic Games doesn't end in gold, there's a good chance 2012 will.
Steve Hooker
Pole Vault
Don't panic if LJ Hooker rings more bells for you than Steve Hooker; that should all change by the end of August.
Hooker is the 25-year-old pole vault star who shot to glory at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
The Victorian has since cleared 6.0m in Perth becoming just the 15th athlete to top the magical mark.
Hooker does not need to search far and wide for tips on how to handle the heat and pressure of the Olympic Games.
His mother, Erica Nixon, was a long jumper who won nine national titles and represented Australia at the 1972 Games, while father, Bill Hooker, was an 800m runner at the 1974 Commonwealth Games.
Hooker will be one to watch in a track and field team with few legitimate gold medal hopes.
But he will face a long list of challengers for the Olympic crown with pole vaulters from the USA, Germany and Russia, along with training partner Paul Burgess, eyeing top spot.