If Andrei Moiseev of Russia successfully defends the title he won at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games he will become only the second athlete to win back-to-back gold medals in Modern Pentathlon.
The feat was achieved by Sweden's Lars Hall in 1952 and 1956.
Moiseev, 29, who stands a towering 1.95m, won the European championships this year and has been in fine form in recent months.
His stiffest challenge may come from fellow-Russian Ilia Frolov, 24, ranked No. 1 in the world by the UIPM. Frolov finished second at the 2007 world championships in Berlin before going one better at this year's event in Budapest. He also came second to Moiseev at last month's European championships in Moscow.
Not surprisingly, the greatest threat to a Russian victory will probably come from Hungary, in the shape of world No. 5 Viktor Horvath.
The two countries have dominated Olympic competitions since 1960, with Hungarians taking gold four times and Russians winning at the last two Games.
Horvath claimed the world and European titles last year. This year, however, he has been troubled by a slipped disc which put his participation in Beijing in doubt at one stage.
But it may not be a just a three-way contest.
Lithuanian lawyers Andrejus Zadneprovskis, 34, and Edvinas Krungolcas, 35, have racked up plenty of titles in their brilliant careers. Each will be looking to complete his collection with Olympic gold.
Others who could be in the medal shake-up include Jean Maxence Berrou of France and David Svoboda of the Czech Republic - respectively world No. 2 and No. 6 - Yahor Lapo of Belarus, who was third in this year's world championship and Poland's Marcin Horbacz who is a veteran at 34 but usually finishes in the top eight.
Then there is 27-year-old Germany's Steffen Gebhardt, who has been steadily moving up through the ranks since he won the 2002 world junior title in Sydney.
The Men's Modern Pentathlon will get underway at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 21.
(BOCOG, August 21, 2008)