SEVEN years in the making, costing 9.3 billion pounds (US$14.5 billion) and featuring 10,490 athletes, the London Olympics opens in the early hours of tomorrow, Beijing time, with 302 gold medals to be won and hard-fought reputations at stake.

The Olympic Stadium and Aquatics Centre in London's East End will host Beijing super-heroes Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps, who tore up the history books in 2008.

On the other side of the city, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams will be the headline acts as Wimbledon welcomes heavyweight tennis talent.

In between, Horse Guards Parade, within walking distance of Downing Street and the Houses of Parliament, hosts beach volleyball and Wembley Stadium will stage the football final.

Even Lord's, the home of cricket, gets involved, opening its doors to the world's best archers.

On the track, Bolt, a triple gold-medallist in Beijing in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay, faces a mouthwatering showdown with Jamaican team-mate Yohan Blake in the 100m final on August 5.

Bolt holds the world record of 9.58 seconds but Blake is the world champion and the in-form sprinter this season, getting the better of his senior partner in the Jamaican trials last month.

Surpass record

In the pool, Phelps, whose eight golds in Beijing took his medal tally to 14, needs five more to surpass the all-time record of 18 set by Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina between 1956 and 1964.

"Obviously, we always want to do our best and swim the fastest, they are the main objectives," said Phelps, who will compete in seven events.

Like Bolt, the 27-year-old Phelps also faces a national rival, in his case in the shape of Ryan Lochte, a triple Olympic champion, who can put a huge hole in his rival's dreams when the two clash in the 200m and 400m medleys.

Elsewhere in the pool, eyes will also be on precocious Missy Franklin, just 17 and also racing seven events, and Australian sensation James Magnussen.

Dubbed "The Missile," Magnussen is the 100m freestyle world champion and earlier this year swam that event's fastest ever time without the aid ofthe now-banned, drag-reducing "super suits."

Other athletics stars include Russian pole vault queen Yelena Isinbayeva, Kenya's David Rudisha in the 800m and Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele, the 5,000m and 10,000m champion in Beijing.

South Africa's Oscar Pistorius, known as "Blade Runner" because he runs with carbon fibre prosthetic running blades, will make history as the first double amputee athlete to compete at an Olympics.

At the velodrome, Bradley Wiggins, fresh from his historic Tour de France triumph, will fire up home hopes.

Zara Phillips, grand-daughter of Queen Elizabeth, adds royal lustre to the equestrian at Greenwich.

Federer, having won a record-equalling seventh Wimbledon title, returns to the All England Club in south-west London looking to add singles gold to the doubles he won with Swiss compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka four years ago.

His rivals will be Djokovic and Andy Murray but there will be no defending champion Rafael Nadal, who pulled out to rest his ongoing knee problems.

Comfortable favorites

The United States will be comfortable favorites in the men's basketball, with a Dream Team boasting the talents of LeBron James and Kobe Bryant but not the injured Dwyane Wade or Derrick Rose.

The build-up to the Games has been relatively trouble-free, although organizers had to call in 3,500 troops for the showpiece after private security firm G4S admitted they couldn't provide a full contingent of guards.

Amid gripes about security and transport, colorful London Mayor Boris Johnson hit out at critics of the Olympics, saying the city was about to stage the greatest show on Earth.

"Oh come off it, everybody - enough whimpering," Johnson wrote in The Sun newspaper.

"Cut out the whingeing. And as for you whingers, put a sock in it - fast."

However, one subject that the British enjoy discussing - the weather - continues to be at the forefront of conversations.

After a wet and chilly summer, temperatures are expected to reach the high 20s by the time the Games officially get underway with tomorrow's opening ceremony.

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Athletics: Pointers give victory to Bolt

August 3-12

Usain Bolt is widely expected to add to his gold medal haul at the London Olympics, although his teammate Yohan Blake and American Tyson Gay are pushing to close the gap.

Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang should be another star of the Olympics track - his return from injury at the 2008 Beijing Olympics has already astonished many observers. The 29-year-old's biggest rival should be Cuban world record holder Dayron Robles. Liu suffered a rib injury and quit the final of Diamond League London this month, the last warm-up before the Olympics. A gold medal would secure his status as legend in China.

Soccer: Team GB aims to score with home advantage

Men's: July 26-August 11 Women's: July 25-August 9

The hosts are taking this tournament seriously as Great Britain had appealed to the football associations of Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland to play under a unified nation of Great Britain.

It has been 52 years since the last time Great Britain participated in the soccer Olympics as one team.

While head coach Stuart Pearce didn't pick any Scotland and Northern Ireland players, the Team GB gathered a lot of young and talented players - 13 Englishmen and five Welshmen from the Premier League, including Daniel Sturridge of Chelsea, Aaron Ramsey of Arsenal, Scott Sinclair of Swansea City and Tom Cleverley of Manchester United.

For the three overage players, Pearce selected Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs, Liverpool veteran Craig Bellamy, both of Wales and Manchester City defender Micah Richards.

The key name and captain of the Great Britain squad is Ryan Giggs. Giggs, who is 38 but still playing at the highest level, has never played in a major international tournament, despite more than 600 appearances for Manchester United.

Pearce hopes Giggs will not only serve as GB's leader but also will anchor a midfield that will contain youngsters Ramsey, Cleverley and Sinclair.

However, Pearce's selections have not made everyone happy, with the coach facing criticism for not picking veteran LA Galaxy midfielder David Beckham, who had worked as a global ambassador helping bring the Olympics to London.

It has been reported that Beckham would be named as an official of Team GB during the Olympics instead of player and the role should be similar to his during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

With the home advantage, Team GB's journey in the Olympics should be farther than the England team in the Euro Cup last month.

GB's Group A, also features Senegal, the United Arab Emirates and Uruguay, with many observers and predicting that it should not be too difficult for Team GB to advance.

In addition to Team GB, other favorites to claim a medal include traditional top teams Brazil and Spain.

Basketball: Dream Team takes on rivals ... and predecessors

Men's: July 29-August 12Women's: July 28-August 11

The London 2012 will once again see the United States Basketball Men's Team as the favorite, but will they continue their dominance in the game?

Only goal and option of Dream Team 2012 is to win the championship.

The USA roster has Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, Tyson Chandler, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Anthony Davis, Kevin Love, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Andre Iguodala and Russell Westbrook.

That is a star-studded lineup that looks unbeatable on paper and recent warm-up games.

But getting the combined egos of the team assembled at the same time has always been one of the biggest challenges of USA national teams that feature professionals.

The Dream Team 2012 came under the spotlight even more than it usually would recently, after Bryant started the debate of the best Dream Team in history.

Even American President Barack Obama waded into the great Olympic basketball debate, saying the 1992 Dream Team would have beaten the 2012 Olympic team.

The president said he remembers a 1992 gold-medal winning USA team that looked unstoppable from the very first game.

"I got to go with the original Dream Team," said Obama during a halftime interview of the USA against Brazil exhibition game with American broadcaster ESPN.

"I suspect that Michael (Jordan) and Sir Charles (Barkley) would point out they were never down at any point in any of their games, but this is a great team."

Los Angeles Lakers star Bryant claimed this year's Olympic team could have beaten the 1992 version - the first US Olympics team to feature active NBA players, including 11 future Hall of Fame players.

Jordan scoffed at Bryant's boast, by saying, "I absolutely laughed. For him to compare those two teams is not one of the smarter things he ever could have done."

Obama said the current team with Bryant and NBA finals MVP LeBron James would make its own mark on the Summer Games.

"This is a great team with unbelievable talent," Obama said. "Kobe is a competitor so you expect him to do a little trash talking whenever the opportunity arises."

Obama predicted the current Dream Team, even with all the injury problems it has had, would win the gold medal in London.

"No reason we shouldn't bring home the gold, we just have got to get focused," he said.

Dream Team's challengers

Argentina

Manu Ginobili of the San Antonio Spurs is the leader of the Argentine squad. Ranked No. 3 in the world behind Spain and the United States, Argentina has a size advantage.

More importantly, they play incredible team basketball - a phrase that a few players on the USA roster should perhaps pay a bit more attention to.

Joining Ginobili are three other players who spent last season in the NBA, two past players, plus a few with strong NBA prospects.

Luis Scola will be the other factor in any potential Argentina vs USA match. He is among the elite forwards.

His skills will be tested by the strong USA defense.

Spain

The No. 2 team in the world is also dreaming of London gold, and in Juan Carlos Navarro have a player who can create a shot out of almost any situation. Spain won the 2006 FIBA World Championships and came up just short in Beijing, taking the silver behind Team USA in 2008.

The squad has become better this year with the nationalization of Congolese power forward Serge Ibaka, who just helped the Oklahoma City Thunder enter the finals of the past NBA season.

Test for China

China's Olympic basketball team faces a tough test in London. Following the retirement of NBA star Yao Ming, hopes rest on Yi Jianlian as the team prepares to face Spain and GB in its group.

Swimming: Phelps out to make a splash once again

July 28-August 10

Michael Phelps' stunning achievement of winning eight gold medals in Beijing in 2008 will not be duplicated in London as he has dropped the Men's 200 meters freestyle and will participate in seven events - the 100m and 200m butterfly, the 200m and 400m individual medleys and three relays.

The American swimmer has good chances in all of them and looks certain to add to his Olympic medal stockpile.

He has already held the record for the most gold medals at a single Olympics (eight) and overall (14) and needs just three more medals of any color in London to surpass the overall record of 18 Olympic medals held by former Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina.

Phelps has struggled for motivation following his amazing performance in Beijing and only got back into serious training 18 months ago.

He had hinted that he would swim a reduced program in London, which will be his fourth and final Olympic appearance, but it was only after Phelps finished all his events at the trials that the decision to drop the 200m was made.

But that does not make his seven gold medals any easier, as this time his opponents seem to be more competitive.

His biggest rival in the pool will be his United States teammate Ryan Lochte, who has beaten Phelps several times in recent years in both domestic and international games.

Phelps will face Lochte's challenge in 200m and 400m individual medleys.

In the recent trials, Lochte beat Phelps in the 400m while Phelps won the 200m.

For the Chinese fans, Sun Yang is the best gold medal hope in men's swimming.

The current world record holder in the men's 1,500m freestyle will compete in 200m, 400m and 1,500m freestyle and is targeting the gold in the 400m and 1,500m.

"The 1,500m is mine and there shouldn't be any accident," Sun earlier confidently predicted to the media.

"About the 400m, if I swim well, I also have big chance of winning. But I promise to bring at least one gold medal."

Sun's biggest rival in the 400m freestyle is South Korean Olympic and world champion Park Tae-Hwan.

London may also be the last Olympics for 29-year-old Japanese breaststroke swimmer Kitajima Kosuke, who had won the gold medal of 200m breaststroke in Athens and Beijing. The Japanese public are willing him on to make it a third consecutive Olympic gold.