by Alfonz Juck
Great season finale
TOKYO (JPN): The 20th edition of Worlds is returning to Tokyo after 34 years. Olympic stadium in comparison to Olympic Games should be filled by spectators. Nine days packed programme without free day is promising an excellent end of the track season with no meetings afterwards. And this concept should continue in coming years. Most of the title defenders are competing (missing Cheptegei, A. Martin, Beriso and Kennedy). USA should be again the top nation, but who will be behind. World record thoughts of course men pole vault and mixed 4×400 m, but also women 4×400 m or 100 m hurdles with men 800 m. Top duels Jefferson-Alfred in 100/200, Chebet-Kipyegon at 5000 m or clashes like men 100 m, women 400 m or men 400 m hurdles. Some questionmarks remain about the shape of Ingebrigtsen, Crouser, Tamberi and Rojas. Prize purse is 8.5 million USD in prize money (plus any world record bonuses). Top challenge will be hot and humid weather, also some rain is predicted. Home country expects women javelin with Kitaguchi or men 110 m hurdles with Muratake. Portugal´s Joao Vieira in 35 km walk will be new participation record holder with number 14, French Melina Robert-Michon in discus will equal the highest female participation 11 of Ines Henriques and Susana Feitor. Noah Lyles has so far 7 medals could move on all-time list which is led by Usain Bolt with 14 medals. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won already 16 medals, Shericka Jackson 11 and Faith Kipyegon 6 from those participating. Allyson Felix leads here with 20 medals. There were 4 editions without World record in 1997, 2001, 2007 and 2013.
Short event by event previews
MEN
100 m: US vs Jamaica, Lyles and Bednarek vs Thompson and Seville. 13 years ago somebody clocked sub 9.7 for the last time.
200 m: Lyles vs Tebogo as in Zurich DL final, is Bednarek ready to challenge them? WL 19.63 to be broken. And we should not forget Levell.
400 m: New kid on the block Patterson to be the top favorite, Oly winner Hall missing but silver medallist Hudson-Smith is ready, title defender Watson only one sub 45 time. Surprise from Africa? WL expected.
800 m: Rudisha style front running by Wanyonyi? Can he manage, can he come close to WR? Or the same plan by defender Arop? Dark horse Attaoui. Super youngster Lutkenhaus. CR possible.
1500 m: 20 years old Laros won in commanding style Brussels and Zurich, another youngster attacking is Koech. But defender is Kerr, Jakob unclear. And World leader is Habz.
5000 m: Here Jakob wants to defend, strong Ethiopian team and Fisher with Almgren. Slow or fast, will be very interesting. AW is predicting Hocker to win. Some will have 10k in their legs.
10 000 m: Here new champion to be crowned. In 2003 Ethiopia had the medal sweep, time to repeat? US team with Fisher will be against.
Steeple: Last time in Budapest El Bakkali vs Girma was duel of the championships. This time not so sure, of course Kenyans, but also Ruppert and Miura to be in the mix.
110mH: In Budapest he was the newcomer, now Tinch is the top name. Holloway has 3 golds, but did not win a single race outdoors. What is the shape of Tharp, home hopes Muratake.
400mH: Warholm vs Benjamin vs Dos Santos. That is really Olympics 2021 dejavu. Going for CR?
Marathon: Anybody to spoil Ethiopia vs Kenya? Ethiopians are better on time. Takele won Tokyo in March, is the fastest entrant.
HJ: Situation changing with every competition. Kerr, Doroshchuk. Lets see the health status of Tamberi and Woo. Could be also a surprise winner. For example Japanese new name Seko.
PV: The question here not who, but how high. But closing to Mondo´s World is Manolo Karalis. Bronze very open for larger group of jumpers.
LJ: Olympic winner Tentoglou was trying to find his right shape. Furlani and Ehammer other top contenders. Anvarov dark horse. Adcock also there. Jamaicans?
TJ: Andy Diaz vs Pichardo fight for gold, what is the shape of Jordan Diaz?
SP: Crouser coming from injury with no competition in 2025, still only Fabbri looks set to be against US party (Otterdahl, Awotunde, Piperi). Dont forget Walsh.
DT: Alekna with WR and only two losses in 25 is expected on top. The others led by Ceh, Stahl, Denny. But what could Mullings do? CR is 71.46.
HT: Katzberg is seriously threatened by Halasz. Other 4 throwers achieved 80+ this year and legendary Fajdek closing.
JT: Mystery around shape of Oly winner Nadeem, Weber in gigantic shape, Chopra saved energy with only 2 competitions in July/August.
Dec: Would Skotheim fulfill the favorite role (throws weak point) ? Garland, Neugebauer, Ehammer will going for the podium too.
20 km w: Double gold medalist Yamanishi is unbeaten this year. Title defender Martin missing. Teams of JPN and CHN to be watched with Bonfim and Dunfee. Some will have after 35km.
35 km w: Third time held. Dunfee got WR which was improved by Stano who is missing. Very open. Hot weather the factor.
4×100 m: US vs Jamaica, but lets not forget home Japan, Olympic winners Canada and South Africa. WL expected.
4×400 m: As usual US here in clear favorite position. We should see a World lead. Surprise from Botswana like in Paris? WL expected.
WOMEN
100 m: In their only clash of the year Jefferson-Wooden 10.75 beat Alfred 10.77 at Pre. Both unbeaten, Alfred outside Pre. Only Flo-Jo and Elaine ever ran sub 10.6. Farewell of SAFP.
200 m: 2nd part of Jefferson-Wooden vs Alfred clash. They never met at this distance. Here Alfred unbeaten and one loss by Jefferson-Wooden. Can defender Jackson come to previous levels?
400 m: This is special: McLaughlin-Levrone vs Paulino vs Naser – can they go sub 48 ? That happened only 2 times back in 1985 and 1983.
800 m: All set for Hodgkinson, Duguma unbeaten in 3 outdoor races, but last at Pre. Top late shape Werro.
1500 m: WR holder should be ok here, Kipyegon success story to continue. Then Welteji with Hull. If very slow, many things can be different.
5000 m: Duel of the championships: Kipyegon vs Chebet. The score is 2:1 for Kipyegon. Kenyan sweep with Ngetich also possible, but Ethiopians and Battocletti will try to be there too.
10 000 m: Kenyan sweep Chebet, Ngetich, Jepngetich, but Tsegay as defender leads 4 Ethiopians. Can Battocletti come close?
Marathon: Seven runners in entry list sub 2:20 PB. Former WR holder Tigist Assefa for top position. Asefa Kebede won in Tokyo in March and Ketema (no marathon in 25) also in the team. Jepchirchir won gold in Sapporo 21. Ethiopian sweep never happened before.
Steeple: Yavi lost in Doha and Oslo to Cherotich, but beat her at Pre. Chemutai and Lemngole for bronze.
100mH: D. Williams was a big surprise in Budapest, Oly winner Russell has the fastest times. In the mix also Stark, Amusan, Nugent and Visser. Time for WR.
400mH: Femke with margin over the rest and is expected to defend. Then US duo Muhammad + Cockrell. Is Zapletalova able to surprise?
HJ: Mahuchikh is 27:10 over Olyslagers for the whole career, but this year 3:5 including Lausanne. Battle for bronze: Patterson, Levchenko, Lake, Honsel.
PV: Who can beat Moon? Caudery on a good day, potentially Morris. That would be it. Solid chance for 1st US medal sweep in this event. WL might be needed for win.
LJ: It looks clear for the trio Davis-Woodhall (unbeaten in all 4 meets she jumped), Mihambo, Iapichino, but in what order? Attacking from behind Bryant and Kpatcha.
TJ: Five ahead of the rest: 2 Cubans (Perez lost outdoors only once), 2 Caribbeans and Moore. Rojas is entered, but that is basically all we know. First 15 m of the year?
SP: Ch. Jackson for a hattrick and aims for 21 m. But she also lost 3-times (Xiamen, Monaco, DL Final). Schilder and Mitton other contenders. Improved shape expected from Ogunleye and Gong (winner 17 and 19).
DT: Last time Allman did not win was in Budapest at Worlds, since then everything. That is then a clear choice. Fierce battle is expected for other medals. When we take DL final as measure then Van Klinken, and Elkasevic for bronze.
HT: Defender Rogers only one loss since May 24. Against her strong US trio, Finnish duo and Chinese junior.
JT: Kitaguchi was injured but is back, Tzengko won DL final, Hudson leads the lists, Vilagos also in the mix.
Hep: Hall is top favorite, with 7000 from Gotzis. Stars Thiam and KJT without full heptathlon this year. Vanninen, Dokter, Kalin to be there too.
20kmw: Perez will be after 35 km, here more Chinese plans, and home Fujii leads the lists.
35kmw: Perez title defender and WR holder, Palmisano Olympic winner from Sapporo. Can we have despite heat a WR situation. Garcia from Peru attacking too.
4×100 m: GBR leads the lists, but US has the top quartett, so has Jamaica. Surprise of the year is Spain. WL expected.
4×400 m: US unbeatable unless something weird happens, we wrote before Budapest and it happened. Netherlands won. This time the team is stronger and they can come close to 38 years old Soviet WR like in Paris. Bronze GBR.
Mixed
