ALLYSON FELIX

The only female track-and-field athlete to win six Olympic golds, Felix had spent the last two years preparing for a golden farewell at Tokyo 2020. Felix, who turns 35 at the end of this year, will be racing against Father Time as she attempts to improve her medal tally in what would be her fifth consecutive Olympics appearance.

The American can take comfort from the fact she is by no means the oldest woman to chase Olympic glory in sprint events. Merlene Ottey was 40 when she anchored Jamaica's 4x100m relay team to a bronze medal at Sydney 2000.