SALLY PEARSON (ATHLETICS) THE defending champion in the 100m hurdles, Pearson will again be Australia's leading light on the track. Since her triumph in London, the Gold Coast hurdler has captured another Commonwealth crown and silver medal at the world championships.
CATE CAMPBELL (SWIMMING) THE reigning world champion over 100m freestyle, Cate Campbell will this week attempt to extend her unbeaten streak over two laps into a third year as she sets a compelling case for Rio Olympic gold. The unflappable Brisbane sprinter is the fastest woman the world has ever seen in a textile suit and within reach of a world record set during the sport's infamous super-suit era. 
CAMERON McEVOY (SWIMMING) PHYSICS student McEvoy is the man who could really make a big bang in Rio. McEvoy shocked the world when he toppled world champ James Magnussen and Olympic champ Nathan Adrian in the 100m freestyle at last year's Pan Pacs on the Gold Coast.
JASON DAY (GOLF) A MAJOR continues to elude Day but the Queenslander will be one of the favourites to win gold as golf returns to the Olympic Games in Rio. Day has been runner-up three times at major championships and was in contention at this year's British Open before finishing tied for fourth.
JESSICA FOX (KAYAK) FOX had only just turned 18 for the London Games in 2012 where she produced a surprise silver medal in the women's K-1. Since then, she has gone from strength to strength, becoming world champion in both the C-1 and K-1 (Olympic event) in the US last year.
KIM CROW (ROWING) BECAME a household name in London when she took home a silver and bronze medal from two separate events by competing in the double and single sculls. Crow, a former 400m hurdler who finished second to Jana Pittman in the national titles before injury halted her promising athletics career, went one better at the 2013 world rowing championships in South Korea.
ANNA MEARES (TRACK CYCLING) APPROACHING her fourth and probably final Olympics, sprint queen Anna Meares hopes to go out a winner. Already the most successful female track cyclist in history after her 11th world championship gold medal in Paris this year, Meares is still setting the benchmark at 31. She remains a major part of Australia's women's team sprint and would be a contender in the individual sprint and keirin at Rio, where she will be aiming to add to her haul of two gold, one silver and two bronze medals.
CAROLINE BUCHANAN (BMX) WITH the pain of her 2012 Olympic "nightmare" driving her to Rio, it's going to take a good rider to deny Buchanan gold or at the very least a medal next year.
ROHAN DENNIS (ROAD CYCLING) THE 25-year-old who rides for BMC on cycling's WorldTour began the year by upstaging Cadel Evans to win the Tour Down Under in   January, then three weeks later broke the world hour record on the velodrome in Switzerland. His biggest victory came in   July at the Tour de France, beating stars Fabian Cancellara and Tony Martin to win the yellow jersey by taking the opening time trial.
MATHEW BELCHER/WILL RYAN (SAILING) BELCHER won gold in the 470 class with Malcolm Page at the 2012 London Olympics but since then he has teamed with Will Ryan as they set about defending the title in Rio. The pair had instant success sailing together by winning gold in the 470 two-person dingy class at the 2013 and 2014 world championships and finishing on the podium at every other event since.
TEN RISING STARS â[TM]¦ MACK HORTON (SWIMMING) WITH the spectacles of Clark Kent, Mack Horton could be Australian swimming's new Superman.
â[TM]¦ KIM MICKLE (ATHLETICS) THE West Australian has been on a slow build throughout her career but at 30 she is now at the peak of her powers.
â[TM]¦ MINJEE LEE (GOLF) The 19-year-old golf sensation has rocketed into the world's top 20 and booked herself a ticket to the Olympic Games.
â[TM]¦ DANTE EXUM (BASKETBALL) THE budding NBA star will play a key role for the Boomers, who will come into an Olympic Games with medal expectations.
â[TM]¦ ELEANOR PATTERSON (ATHLETICS) THE shy high-jumper from country Victoria is the next big thing in Australian athletics.
â[TM]¦ ALEX EDMONDSON (TRACK CYCLING) Edmondson is a multiple world champion in the individual and team pursuit and this is likely to be his final crack at Olympic gold on the track before he turns his attention to the road.
â[TM]¦ STEPHANIE MORTON (TRACK CYCLING) MORTON was in London in 2012 but for the Paralympics where she was a pilot rider for visually impaired cyclist Felicity Johnson.
â[TM]¦ SHELLEY WATTS (BOXING) THE 27-year-old recorded a breakthrough victory with gold in the women's lightweight division at last year's Commonwealth Games â[TM]¦ CALEB EWAN (ROAD CYCLING) EWAN has only just turned 21 but he has the speed to match the best road cyclists in the world.
â[TM]¦ MADISON WILSON (SWIMMING)WILSON is the Brisbane backstroker who just might be timing her Olympic run to perfection.