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The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games will undoubtedly provide many shocks and surprises, creating overnight heroes and, in some cases, overnight villains.

With less than four months to go until the Opening Ceremony, it's still pretty far out to be trying to predict who will win gold medals at these Games.

However, that is the name of the game with this article, so I'll have a stab at it.

Firstly in the pool, and undoubtedly the battle there will be between the USA and Australia, the two glamor nations in the water.

I believe 2004 Athens Olympic hero, American Michael Phelps, is sure to back up his six gold medals there with at least one here, most likely a few more. He's in a number of events, including freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke, as well as relays. I'm tipping him to win a gold somewhere.

He'll be ably supported by Ryan Lochte, another multiple-event entrant. His disciplines include the freestyle, backstroke and breastroke and I expect him to score at least one gold.

In the ladies section, Natalie Coughlin and Kathryn Hoff should both win a gold medal, with both at the peak of their powers, and with strong recent results.

For the Aussies, their gold medal hopes lie with 50 meters freestyle world record holder Eamon Sullivan, who surely will gold in that event.

Sullivan should be joined on the dias by Grant Hackett, by far the best 1500 meters swimmer on the planet, and possibly in the top few in the 400 meters and 800 meters.

In the women's section, Libby Lenton and Leisel Jones are in red-hot form for the green and gold, and are sure-fire bets to take gold.

On the track, and in the glamor event of the men's 100 meters final, nobody holds a candle to Jamaican Asafa Powell.

If ever there was a red-hot favorite going into this event at an Olympic Games, then Powell is it.

In the 200 meters, Americans Tyson Gay and Shawn Crawford should decide the gold there, whilst in the women's, American Allyson Felix and Jamaican Veronica Campbell will have a big say in who wins there.

In the 800 meters, South African Mbulaeni Mulaudzi is my bet for gold, whilst in the women's, Kenyan Janeth Jepkosgei looks a good thing.

The 1500 meters should see American Alan Webb salute for the Stars and Stripes, whilst the Russians look good things in the womens, with Yelena Soboleva.

Ethiopia may not have a lot of money, but in the 5000 meters, the nation has the best male and female prospects in Kenenisa Bekele and Meseret Defar respectively.

In the mens 110 meters hurdles, American Terrence

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