Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, Serena Williams and Lin Dan are among the big names looking to end their Olympic careers with a bang in Brazil.
Michael Phelps
The most decorated Olympian in history has pledged to hang up his swimming trunks after the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Phelps has already retired once – quitting the pool after London 2012, where he collected a record-breaking 22nd medal (including his 18th gold). Last year, however, the 31-year-old American reconsidered and announced that he was making an Olympic comeback. He will compete in four events at Rio 2016 – the 100m and 200m butterfly, 100m freestyle and 200m individual medley – and will aim to end his career with a flourish. Again.
Serena Williams
The 34-year-old American tennis legend is tied with Steffi Graf on 22 Grand Slam titles and has shown no signs of slowing down, holding the work no.1 ranking for 180 consecutive weeks and counting.
Serena is also the joint top Olympic gold medallist – she has four, along with her sister Venus – and she will defend the women’s singles title at Rio 2016, and then look towards retirement.
Usain Bolt
Jamaica’s sprint superstar is targeting an unprecedented ‘triple triple’ in Rio, where he will attempt to defend the 100m, 200m 4x100m relay titles he won at the Beijing 2008 Games and retained at London 2012. If he does it, it would be a nice way to celebrate his 30th birthday on the day of the closing ceremony. Bolt has shrugged off injury concerns ahead of the Games but recently said he intends to retire from athletics after Rio 2016.
Lin Dan
Considered by many the best singles badminton player of all time, ‘Super Dan’ became the first Olympic champion to successfully defend his title when he beat Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei in an epic London 2012 final. Despite rumours he was set to retire, the 32 year-old will go for a third straight gold in Rio.
Manu Ginobili
Rio 2016 marks the end of an era for Argentine basketball, with 38-year-old Ginobili one of several members of a “golden generation” set to bow out of Olympic competition. The shooting guard has a statue erected in his honour in Buenos Aires for his achievements, which include the gold medal at Athens 2004 – the only time the USA has been denied the title in the NBA era. Rio 2016 is also likely to be the Olympic swan song for other stars of the 2004 side including Andres Nocioni, Luis Scola and Carlos Delfino.
