Merlene Ottey

The highly decorated sprint queen, who has won a remarkable 29 medals in major championships, donning the black, green and gold, changed her national status following the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

She migrated to Slovenia and became a citizen of that country for which she now competes. At the age of 46, four years ago, she competed in her first European Championships in Gothenburg for new country, where she made it into the semi-finals of the 100 meters.

Ottey will be seeking to upstage France's Nicole Brakebusch-Leveque, who is the oldest athlete so far to compete in the European Championships at age 47, contesting the marathon in Budapest in 1998.