As the 2008 Beijing Olympics gets under way, we want to know who you think is the best Olympian of all time.

Perhaps one of the best contenders comes from the kentmessenger.co.uk area - the double gold medal winning athlete Kelly Holmes comes from Hildenborough.

Expanding the net a little, you might prefer the double silver medallist Steve Backley, from Chislehurst, who briefly held the Olympic record for javelin.

Or perhaps you'd shun home-grown Kentish talent in favour of rower Steve Redgrave, the only Olympian to win gold medals in five consecutive games, or the gold-winning ice-skating duo Torvill and Dean.

The less patriotic might even opt for high-jumper Richard Fosbury (perhaps the only person in history to have a flop named after him), athlete Jesse Owens (winner of four golds at the 1932 Berlin Olympics) or 400m runner Michael Johnson, who seemed unbeatable throughout the 90s.

So who is it, and why? Let us know below.