5 Chinese Olympic athletes to look out for at Rio 2016

Let's face it, nearly every one of the record-breaking foreign contingent of 416 Chinese athletes at Rio 2016 is an Olympic gold medal hopeful, but here Time Out presents a quick guide to some of the more prominent Team China competitors - and when to watch them (all times are Beijing time).

Fan Yilin 范忆琳

At the age of 16, Fan Yilin is one of the youngest members of the Chinese Olympic contingent. The scarily young-looking Shanghainese teenager is already a gymnastic world champion after taking gold on the uneven bars at the World Championships in Glasgow last year and she's among the favourites to add an Olympic gold this summer.

Catch her in action on the women’s gymnastics uneven bars qualification event on Sunday 7 August at 7.45pm.

Lei Sheng 雷声

Fencer Lei Sheng will lead the Chinese contingent out into the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics, breaking the previous tradition (since 1984) of China's flag bearer being a basketball player. He is also hotly tipped to successfully defend his Olympic title in the men’s foil fencing event.

Catch him in action in the men’s individual foil (round of 32) on Sunday 7 August at 8.30pm.

Ning Zetao 宁泽涛

23-year-old Ning Zetao is currently a huge internet sensation here - he's the hunky swimmer you've probably seen all over your WeChat Moments recently, usually accompanied by the message 'the only reason I'm watching the Olympics'. As the first Asian man to complete the 100 metres in the pool in under 48 seconds, Ning came to international prominence when he took first place in the 100m freestyle event at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships.

Catch him in action in the final of the men’s 100m freestyle event (assuming he gets that far) on Thursday 11 August at 10am and the men’s 50m freestyle final (again, on the assumption he qualifies) on Saturday 13 August at 9.40am.

Sun Yang 孙杨

Sun Yang was the original pool-side Olympic eye-candy for Chinese netizens before the internet went ga-ga over Ning Zetao, thanks to his feats at London 2012. His top event is the 1,500m freestyle, which he currently holds the world record for. Sun was also the first Chinese swimmer to win gold at the Olympics (at London).

Catch him in action in the men's 200m freestyle heats on Sunday 7 August at 11.39pm, men’s 400m freestyle heats on Sunday 7 August at 12.18am, and men's 1,500m freestyle heats on Saturday 13 August at 12.52am.

Wu Minxia 吴敏霞

In 2016, 31-year-old Shanghainese diver Wu Mingxia will be representing her country in her fourth, and mostly likely, last Olympics. She will be hoping to rewrite her own legacy again in Rio by attempting to become the only woman to ever win gold medals in diving for four consecutive Olympics. She is already the only woman to have done so for three consecutive Olympics.

Catch her in action in the women's synchronised 3m springboard on Monday 8 August at 2am.