A passing of the baton at a major athletics meet seems an apt metaphor.
As does a changing of the guard in a city such as London.
Either way you want to describe it, Wayde van Niekerk looks ready to take up one of the biggest challenges in sport - replacing Usain Bolt as the global face of track and field.
The South African superstar won't get the chance to go head to head with Bolt at the London world titles beginning on Friday as the Jamaican is contesting just the 100m and 4x100m relay in his swansong.
Instead it is van Niekerk who will chase a glamorous individual double, in the 200m and 400m, much in the manner of great American Michael Johnson at the 1995 world titles and the 1996 Olympics.
Van Niekerk obliterated Johnson's longstanding 400m world record with a run of 43.03 seconds last year in Rio.
He is the only man in history to have bettered 10 seconds for the 100m, 20 seconds for the 200m and 44 seconds for the 400m.
"It's one thing someone saying I can be the next big thing," the 25-year-old said on Wednesday.
"But it's another thing working towards that greatness.
"I'm not intimidated - you can't be.
"This is track and field, this is a dream I need to fight for and I need to fight for it as hard as I can."
Bolt brings questionable recent form into the world titles, although that has never stopped him from stepping up when the stakes are highest.
He bristled at suggestions that he was not favourite to win the 100m crown.
"I can't believe you're asking me that," said Bolt, the holder of 11 world titles and eight Olympic gold medals.
"We won't have that problem, don't worry about it.
"I'm not worried. It's a championship, so it's about who can keep their nerve."
Pointedly, Bolt declined to name his 100m successor, seen as a clip at Canadian sprinter Andre de Grasse, who on Wednesday withdrew from the world titles with a hamstring injury.
But he heaped praise on van Niekerk.
"It's a massive honour to learn and rub shoulders with Usain," responded the South African.
Bolt was at his peak at the 2012 London Olympics, where he shared the spotlight with Mo Farah.
Farah's haul of nine world and Olympic 5000m and 10,000m titles stacks up alongside that of the Jamaican and few would bet against Sir Mo doing the double again in his last major championships.
Australian Sally Pearson is another big name with fondest of memories of the London Olympic Stadium, where she claimed the 100m hurdles gold medal in 2012.
After more than two years cruelled by injury and with world record holder Kendra Harrison also in the field, Pearson has declared that a podium finish would rival any of her previous achievements on the track.
"Deep down I would love a medal," said Pearson, who will extend her career until at least the 2018 Commonwealth Games at home on the Gold Coast.
"I know you really want me to say gold but that's what I want, I would love a medal and I think that would be a huge success, any colour."
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