The T13 sprinter, who is legally visually-impaired but has partial sight, has won five golds in the men's 100 metres and 200m over three Games.

Now he aims to remain unbeaten at the Games.

"I'm there to attempt to win another gold," said Smyth to BBC Sport Northern Ireland.

"That's where my expectation is of myself."

Across the Irish Sea, Britain has an array of athletes who will look to replicate the performances five years ago in Rio.

Defending men's T44 100m champion Jonnie Peacock has already said his happiness at the Games does not hang on winning gold again, but he heads into the competition as one of his country's top prospects; as are a number of women's sprinters.

These include wheelchair racer Hannah Cockroft, cerebral palsy athletes Sophie Hahn, Olivia Breen and Maria Lyle; and visually-impaired star Libby Clegg.

China will be aiming for another dominant display in the Stadium, having won 32 gold medals at Rio 2016 in athletics - double the number of the United States.

The nation has been top of the athletics medal table at every Games since Athens 2004.

Some of their main hopes will include T35 double champion in the women's 100m and 200m Zhou Xia, who is defending both her titles; 2017 and 2019 long jump champion Wang Hao and relay athlete-turned-shot put and discus thrower Li Yingli.

As well as China and Britain, the US have plenty of medal hopes - the most famous of these being seven-times Paralympic champion Tatyana McFadden, who will have the opportunity to win another five as she is to compete in the women's T54 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5,000m and marathon.

Jumper Roderick Townsend-Roberts is to again go in the men's T47 long jump and high jump, defending both Paralympic titles.

Five-times world champion Nassima Saifi of Algeria is aiming for a third Paralympic gold in the women's F57 discus.

Dutch sprinter and long jumper Fleur Jong, who holds two T64 world records; and T44 German long jumper Markus Rehm are among the most notable names in the field events.

Vanessa Low, who won gold for Germany at Rio 2016 in the women's T42 long jump, will not be in Australian colours for the Games to defend her title, after gaining her citizenship in 2017.

A quarter of all athletes at the Games are set to compete in athletics - with 1,100.

The majority of nations - 129 from the 162 teams competing - have entered athletes in 168 medal events.

Competition is set to start tomorrow, ending on September 5.