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Michael Phelps
-- ST PHOTOS: DESMOND LIM
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You do not have to be in Beijing to experience Olympic fever or even star spot.
Temperatures were turned up this week when Australia's swim sensation Grant Hackett and Brazil's Ronaldinho-led football team landed on our shores for their pre-Games training camps.
And it is set to get hotter in the coming fortnight.
Some 700 athletes and officials from 24 countries are set to call Singapore home in the lead-up to next month's Beijing Olympics.
Some, like the Canadian track and field squad, will stay here through the Games, flying out only for their events.
In fact, teams from countries afar have set up camp all across Asia, to get used to a time zone, heat and humidity, similar to Beijing's - but with better air quality and food, and fewer distractions.
Among the elite athletes to feature in Singapore include probable Olympic gold medallists, like American swimmer Michael Phelps, Hackett and Ronaldinho & Co.
The Sunday Times makes a list of potential champions. (We suggest you grab their autographs while you can.)
SWIMMING
Michael Phelps, 23 (USA)
Athens 2004's most successful athlete of the Games with six golds and two bronzes, is aiming for a record eight golds in Beijing.
Aaron Peirsol, 25 (USA)
The 100m and 200m backstroke world-record holder, who set both marks earlier this month, will be looking to retain both titles in Beijing.
Ryan Lochte, 24 (USA)
Co-holds the 200m backstroke world mark with Peirsol and is the reigning world champion in the event.
Katie Hoff, 19 (USA)
The 200m IM world champ set the 400m IM world record last month.
Natalie Coughlin, 26 (USA)
Reigning Olympic champion in the 100m backstroke; set the world record in the event early this month.
Grant Hackett, 28 (AUS)
The 1,500m specialist is aiming to be the first man in 104 years to win the same swimming event in three straight Olympics.
Markus Rogan, 26 (Austria)
Athens 2004 silver medallist in the 100m and 200m backstroke. The Austrian is also the reigning 200m backstroke short-course world champion.
Other notable mentions: Americans Larsen Jansen, Peter Vanderkaay, Brendan Hansen, Ian Crocker and Amanda Beard.
WATER POLO
Croatia men's team
The reigning world champions might derail two-time defending Olympic champions, Hungary.
Montenegro men's team
In their Olympic debut as an independent nation, the European champions are a hot favourite for gold.
Italy women's team
The Athens 2004 winners look good for another title.
Other notable mentions: Italy's men's team and the women's teams from Russia and Greece.
FOOTBALL
Brazil men's football team
Ronaldinho, Lucas Leiva, Diego, Rafinha, Anderson... enough reasons for the Samba Kings' first Olympic gold?
SHOOTING
Andrea Benelli, 48 (ITA)
The Italian is the defending skeet champion of the Athens Olympics. He also won a bronze at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
TAEKWONDO
Steven Lopez, 30 (USA)
Won golds in Athens 2004 and Sydney 2000 in the middleweight and lightweight classes respectively.
Other notable mentions: Lopez's siblings: Mark, 25, and Diana, 23, both world champions in 2005.
TRACK AND FIELD
Gary Reed, 27 (CAN)
The 2007 World Championships 800m silver-medallist is gunning for gold and Canada's first Games athletics medal since Donovan Bailey's world-record 100m win at Atlanta 1996.
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