Super Dan leaves a super void

At 31, reigning Olympic champion Chen no longer has age on his side, while the 24-year-old Shi's struggles for consistency suggest he is unlikely to inherit Lin's mantel.

However, in a testament to Super Dan's influence on China's new generation of players, Shi wrote on social media this weekend: "Respect to big brother Dan. He encouraged me to keep moving forward. Wish all the best for him."

Despite seeing his "superpowers" wane in recent years, fans had held out hope of seeing Lin compete at a fifth Olympic Games and battle against the odds for a third title.

"I was super excited and proud to become a member of the Chinese national team back in 2000," said Lin, who bows out ranked 19th in the world. "My family, coaches and teammates stayed with me through the highlights and doldrums of my career. My every jump is my thirst for victory.