In the 6th century BC, Milon of Kroton won the wrestling competition at five consecutive Olympic Games.
Two millennia later, there are still athletes who are competing for - and surpassing - Milon's multiple-Games appearances record.

This will be sprinter Gail Devers' fifth Olympics though sadly she will not be adding a fourth gold medal - for hurdles - to her collection.

This is also the fifth for Jan-Ove Waldner, table tennis legend!

Teresa Edwards, basketball player, is a five-timer, with her teammates benefiting from her experience, though Lisa Leslie has been to three Games.

Six-time Olympian Andrew Hoy regretably fell from his horse last week, an individual gold medal still elusive for him.

Merlene Ottey, a sprinter who is originally from Jamaica but now competing for Slovenia, will be in her seventh Olympics. She first appeared on the scene at the 1980 Moscow Games. She even said this week she has no plans to retire at present.

Should these world-class athletes stand down and allow others a crack at the Olympic experience? But seeing these champions again makes viewers realize: they are just that good.

And they can always aspire to a Carl Lewis streak: winning gold in four consecutive Games - for long jump - in 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1996.