Athens - Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele and Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco eased through their 5 000 metres heats on Wednesday as both men set their sights on a golden Olympic Games double on Saturday.
They served up the aperitif as the crowd got their first sighting of these Games of triple Olympic champion Marion Jones, who was set to compete in the long jump qualifying.
The former golden girl of the sport has had her image damaged by drugs allegations, mainly from her bitter ex-husband CJ Hunter, and has plenty to prove.
Bekele, 22 and the newly-crowned 10 000m Olympic champion, is seeking to become the first man to achieve the 5 000m-10 000m double since compatriot Miruts Yifter in 1980.
Meanwhile, El Guerrouj is looking to become the first man since Finland's Paavo Nurmi 80 years ago to do the 1 500m-5 000m double.
However, Eliud Kipchoge lies in wait for them both just as in the world championships last year.
It was in Paris that they failed to land their respective doubles as the 19-year-old Kenyan edged El Guerrouj on the line while Bekele took bronze in the finest race of the championships.
Bekele led through the bell in his heat with El Guerrouj, who was returning to the track less than 24 hours after winning the 1 500m title, tailing him.
Bekele resumed the lead on the final bend, accompanied by team-mate Gebre Gebremariam, with El Guerrouj easing up as he realised he had done enough to qualify.
The 1500m world record-holder added that he had found the task of getting any sleep a tough one and was due for a telling off from his mother.
"To be honest, I could not sleep last night because of the joy and the excitement of the gold medal.
"I have already shared the pleasure of my victory with some of those closest to me, but I have not had time to phone my mother yet," said the 29-year-old.
