Beijing - Host China will win the most gold medals at the upcoming Beijing Olympics but the US will at least retain its dominance in overall medals, American magazine Sports Illustrated (SI) has predicted. In its famous forecast released ahead of every Olympics, the magazine predicted that US swimmer Michael Phelps will make history with eight gold medals and compatriot Tyson Gay will beat Jamaican opposition in the blue-riband 100 metres dash.
Local superstar Liu Xiang is expected to lose to new Cuban world record holder Dayron Robles in the 110m hurdles but that won't stop China from topping the gold medal count for the first time.
The magazine predicted China will finish with 49 gold 28 silver and 25 bronze for 102 medals overall, with the US still top overall from 121 medals, 45-44-32. Russia is tipped to come third on 25-28-22 (75).
The 2004 count was: US 36-39-27 (102), China 32-17-14 (63) and Russia 27-27-38 (92).
China has high hopes in dominating the home Games August 8-24 and International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge conceded that "the host team normally wins more medals than on average."
Phelps, 23, is on the verge of Olympic immortality, according to SI.
He is not only expected to better Mark Spitz' 1972 record of seven golds at one Olympics but his eight golds from five individual starts and three relays would also make him the most decorated Olympian ever with a total tally of 14 gold and two bronze.
Four athletes currently share a record nine golds with Soviet Gymnast Larisa Latynina top with a total 9-5-4 tally from 1956-1964.
Other predictions are that world champion Gay will deny Jamaica a first-ever 100m gold again by beating young world record holder Usain Bolt, with the former fastest man Asafa Powell (also Jamaica) not even making the podium.
Kerron Stewart will get the women's 100m gold for Jamaica, Britain's Paula Radcliffe will miss out on marathon gold again while Kenya will finally get a first men's marathon gold from Martin Lel.
Roger Federer will compensate for the loss of the world number one ranking in tennis by getting gold at last and the men's US basketball team will shake of the disappointment of 2004 by claiming gold. But Brazil will miss out on football gold again, losing the final to Argentina.
Osmay Acosta will lead Cuba to three boxing golds. Germany's Sascha Klein is to deny the Chinese a sweep of the eight diving golds by winning the men's platform, but the hosts will claim all four table tennis titles as well as four of six badminton golds.
The honour of the first gold medal awarded next Saturday goes to Germany's Sonja Pfeilschifter in the women's 10m air rifle shooting - that is if Sports Illustrated has made an accurate prediction.
