Duo target Table Tennis history

That will be when spectators get the chance to see Zhang Jike and Wang Hao, the Chinese superstars who are on the brink of a significant achievement.

The goal for them is simple: win gold to complete the coveted Grand Slam, sealed by victories in the World Championships, World Cup and Olympic Games.

It is a feat that has been achieved by very few and, should Jike or Hao succeed at London 2012, they will join a list that features legends of the sport Jan-Ove Waldner, Liu Guoliang and Kong Linghui.

Many fans would doubtless love to see Hao succeed after he had to settle for silver at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.

The 28-year-old will have to upset the form book to do so, however, with Jike - vying to become the youngest Grand Slam winner - currently sitting top of the ITTF rankings.

A bigger story, though, may be if the eventual winner was not one of the Chinese duo.

Germany's Timo Boll has been highlighted as the man most likely to challenge and can take heart from the fact that China have not dominated the men's Singles at the Olympic Games as much as other events.

Despite winning an astonishing 20 of the 24 gold medals on offer since Table Tennis became an Olympics sport at Seoul 1988, China have won only three of the six men's individual titles.

The story is very different in the women's Singles, where the Asian nation has a perfect record in six Games thus far.

Chen Jing and Wang Nan won either side of successes for Deng Yaping at Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996, while Zhang Yining emerged victorious in the two most recent showpieces.

We will definitely see a different winner this time, though the Chinese pair of world number one Ding Ning and Li Xiaoxia are expected to be strong challengers.

The duo are just 22 and 24 respectively, with Ding - much like her male compatriots - on course to complete a Grand Slam.