Host nation China are expected to dominate the table tennis tournament, with many of the world's leading players making up the Chinese team.
Chief among them in the men's discipline is Wang Hao, silver medallist in Athens four years ago and current world number one.
Wang's stock has risen unchecked since his defeat in the 2004 final to Korea's Ryu Seung Min and his unorthodox interpretation of the Chinese penholder grip has made him an opponent who has proved difficult to contain.
In 2006 he exorcised his defeat in Greece by taking gold in the Asian Games in Doha, beating Ryu in the semi-final by a convincing 4-1 scoreline to assert his new-found dominance over the Olympic champion.
Wang's compatriot Ma Lin finished runner-up in Doha and has since inked himself in both as the world number two and as a genuine challenger for honours in Beijing.
He has already tasted Olympic gold - claiming the men's doubles alongside Cheng Qi in Athens - but slipped up when seemingly set for victory in the 2007 World Championships in Zagreb.
Having come into the tournament as top seed he appeared to be set fair in the final against Wang Liqin - yet another one of the Chinese team likely to feature in the latter stages of the medal hunt - before throwing away a handsome advantage and surrendering the title.
With Wang Liqin also setting his sights on bronze and above it looks likely that the home fans will have a plenty to celebrate come podium time.
The main European threat to the assumed pre-eminence of the Chinese comes from Belarus' Vladimir Samsonov - an experienced 32-year-old with successes spread across more than a decade of Pro Tour meetings, World Championships and World Cups.
He has been a fixture in the ITTF top 10 for more than seven years, with a high watermark of second in 2001.
While not in possession of the dynamism of some of his likely opponents he has seen everything the sport has to offer and will be eager to better a modest Olympic record that does not do justice to his stature.
Germany's Timo Boll could also have a say in the race for medals. He is past his 2003 peak, a year where he spent seven months as the world's best player, but still has the ability to upset the odds.
The Games hosts are also hot favourites to triumph in the women's events, with much-fancied trio Zhang Yining, Guo Yue and Wang Nan expected to do battle for a place in the final.
Zhang is the reigning Olympic Champion, and also claimed gold in 2004 alongside Wang in the doubles.
While that makes her the pedigree performer in the field she has experience of being unseated while odds-on, with Guo defeating her when seeded fourth in the 2006 World Championships.
Drinkhall and Sibley - as well as the likes of Adam Robertson and Jo Parker - are hoping to secure a home presence in London in four years but for now, the table looks likely to be dominated by China's stars.
