Race walking may not be the most obviously glamorous of Olympic disciplines but for those in the know – such as four-time gold medal winner Robert Korzeniowski – it is the sport of kings. Here, the Polish hero sets the record straight, revealing just what it means to be a “walker” and explaining how he became the most successful one of all time.

When “Las Niñas de Oro” became the youngest Olympic champions in Spain’s history at the Olympic Games Atlanta 1996, the rhythmic gymnastics sextet had little idea of the magnitude of their historic achievement, and how they would continue to inspire the younger generations far into the future.

On 1 October 1988, in winning the final at the Olympic Games in Seoul, German tennis player Steffi Graf achieved what no one else had done before or has done since. Her gold medal came after victories in the Grand Slam tournaments at Melbourne, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and New York, giving rise to a new term: “the Golden Slam”. The world of tennis is still waiting for another player capable of such a feat in the same calendar year!

In 2016, American shooter Kimberly Rhode achieved the unprecedented feat of winning a medal at six straight editions of the Summer Games, going all the way back to her double trap title at Atlanta 1996, aged 17. Now 40 and the skeet world no. 1, she has no intention of stopping any time soon; she is targeting a seventh consecutive medal at Tokyo 2020 and, looking beyond that, victory in front of a home crowd at Los Angeles 2028.

Only one rower has won five gold medals at five consecutive editions of the Olympic Games. From Los Angeles 1984 to Sydney 2000, in various boats, on each occasion Sir Steve Redgrave stepped up onto the highest level of the podium. He ended his career on a high at the age of 38, on 23 September 2000, when he won his last title with the British coxless four.

The lighting of the Olympic cauldron, the victory lap in front of a jubilant crowd, the green and white full bodysuit… Cathy Freeman left an unforgettable mark on the Sydney 2000 Games. Twenty years on, who will claim victory in the 400m in the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo? Naturally the chances are higher for athletes also taking part in the women’s 4x400m event and the new mixed 4x400m relay!

After winning a second consecutive Olympic gold medal among the heavyweight judokas, on 22 September 2000 in Sydney, David Douillet hung up his kimono, with a list of achievements that made him the biggest star in his sport in the 1990s. His successor in France is none other than Teddy Riner, who intends to go one better by winning a third title in Tokyo in 2020!

Michael Johnson’s 200m Olympic and world record was one of the standout performances of Atlanta 1996. But it took years of work and planning to get it right…

For Isabell Werth, the most decorated Olympic equestrian athlete of all time, it is simple: the horse is everything. “Without a top horse you have nothing, you are just a rider, nothing more,” said the German who has won six gold and four silver medals in dressage during a career which has, to date, spanned five Olympic Games.