Olympics 2008

Will China top the medal table at their home Olympics in Beijing this summer?

Don't bet against it.

If you consider their meteoric rise up the medal table in recent Olympics and add into the equation that home advantage is traditionally worth a few extra bits of gold and silver, then you may just see them upset the US and Russian domination.

Four years ago, America won a total of 102 medals, 36 of which were of the golden variety to top the table.

But China sneaked into second place with their record tally of 63 medals as 32 were gold.

Russia were left languishing in third, as, despite amassing 92 medals, they won five fewer golds than the Chinese.

Liu Xiang was perhaps the most famous of Chinese victors in Athens and he is expected to replicate his 110m hurdles success in the Bird's Nest Stadium in August.

China's 2004 tally was heavily boosted by the divers who won six of the eight competitions, while weightlifting also proved profitable with five golds out of the 15 divisions.

But will they carry their recent successes into their home Games and top the medal table?