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Can Netherlands' Ireen Wust sign off with a 14th Olympic medal at the 2022 Beijing Games? The 35-year-old, who won her first Olympic title in 2006 aged 19, has won medals of various hues in the 1000m, 1500m, 3000m, 5000m and team pursuit, with an overall total of 13 – two short of Marit Bjørgen’s all-time Winter Olympic record. Wust is the most decorated speed skater at the Games and the Netherlands’ most successful Olympian.

This is, on paper, Wust’s weakest event – her only 1000m medal was silver in 2014, while she hasn’t finished higher than sixth over the distance in three World Cup outings this season.

USA’s Brittany Bowe, who despite a hatful of medals at World Championship level has never won an individual Olympic medal (she took team pursuit bronze in 2018). The 33-year-old is the reigning 1000m world champion but will be looking to rebound after a 10th-place finish in the 1500m, also one of her favoured events.

Japan’s Miho Takagi is targeting a first gold medal in an individual event – she has already earned 1500m, 500m and team pursuit silver in Beijing (plus three medals in PyeongChang, including team pursuit gold). Compatriot Nao Kodaira, 35, won silver in this event four years ago, in addition to 500m gold.