In a few hours from now the Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing will become one of the world’s most watched venues as the World Athletics Championships kick-off. Top athletes of the world will vie for the honours. There will be some who will want to continue their reign as champions and then there will be usurpers who will want to take over.
There can be no doubt that the world will miss few heartbeats when Usain Bolt and Justin Gatlin face-off in the 100 metres. This definitely will be the mother of all battles at Beijing. Bolt has been struggling for form while Gatlin, after battling a dope-tainted career is in the form of his life repeatedly posting timings of 9.74 and 9.75 seconds. But then one can’t simply write off Bolt in big events.
But then the Beijing Worlds will not be only about Bolt and Gatlin. There are others who will also attract the same attention or more. Orissa Post takes a look at some of the other prospective stars.
Mo Farah (Great Britain, 5,000m & 10,000m): The World, Olympic and European champion in the 5,000 and 10,000 metres will have a lot to prove in Beijing, not so because his crown has been challenged, but due to the doping allegations that have surfaced against his coach Alberto Salazar. Since the allegations came to light, Farah has distanced himself with his long-time trainer, but even then cynics are ready to pounce on him if he fails. Farah, incidentally is the only Brit to have achieved the unique double of winning the 5,000m and 10,000m in the 2012 Olympics as well as the 2013 Moscow Worlds.
Renaud Lavillenie (France, pole vault): The world record holder and the 2012 Olympic gold medallist will seek to set the record straight when he arrives at Beijing. The Frenchman has participated in three Worlds but has managed only two bronze and a silver medal. The current world record of 6.16m (set in 2014) stands in his name, but then Lavillenie will be ‘happy getting the gold at 5.80 metres’. “Definitely, I am in a happy frame of mind winning a recent competition in London vaulting 6.03m. I am in good shape,” he stated recently.
Tirunesh Dibaba (Ethiopia, 5,000m, 10,000m, marathon): The ‘baby faced destroyer’ as she is popularly known, starts overwhelming favourite in all the three events, if she decides to compete in all the three. But she is certain to compete in the 5,000m (Current WR holder at 14.11:15 seconds) and the 10,000 metres. The only person who can pose some sort of a challenge to her is Kenyan Kenenisa Bekele.
David Rudisha (Kenya, 800 metres): In spite of being pipped to post by Nigel Amos in the London Anniversary Games in July, the 800 metres world record holder (1.40:91 seconds) will start the top favourite in Beijing. The 26-year-old started the season late after recovering from an injury, but is sure to peak at Beijing.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jamaica, sprints): The defending World and Olympic champion in the 100 metres, Fraser-Pryce will no doubt want to hold her sway in sprints once more. The only woman to run the 100 metres at less than 10.80 seconds on a regular basis Fraser-Pryce has been dominating the scene since she burst into the arena way back in 2008 at the Beijing Olympics. Looks like she will continue to do so this time also.