The athletics world descends on Beijing from this weekend for the 2015 World Championships at the National Stadium. The competition is the first time that the venue, more widely known as the Bird's Nest, is going to be used for top-level athletics since the glorious scenes of the Beijing Olympic Games seven years ago.
The World Championships comes at an -important time for the sport. Recent revelations of long-term, widespread doping by The Sunday Times newspaper and German TV station ARD have put the elite athletics world under intense scrutiny. In the past week, Asli Cakir Alpetkin was stripped of the gold medal she won in the 1,500m at the London Olympic Games, which came on the back of retrospective bans for 28 athletes dating back to the 2005 and 2007 World Championships. Further to this, a recent, partially released report made at the 2011 World Championships by the World Anti-Doping Agency revealed that a third of athletes admitted to breaching the rules regarding drugs.
There is a genuine concern that doping in athletics is as deep-seated as it was during the dark days of Lance Armstrong and his U.S. Postal Service team cheating their way to cycling's biggest titles. British sprinter Richard Kilty told The Independent that he expects the majority of those who line up for the men's 100m final in Beijing on Sunday, the showpiece event of the World Championships, will have previously served bans for doping.
The hope for the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and its newly elected chairman, Sebastian Coe, is that a clean World Championships passing without controversy will put the world governing body back on the right track. Here's a look at the events and athletes that can win back the public's trust and give the sport a fresh start.
Saturday August 22 - Heptathlon
Olympic champion Jessica Ennis-Hill has returned to the heptathlon but this World -Championships might be too soon, coming just a year after the birth of her son. Fellow Briton -Katarina Johnson-Thompson has filled Ennis-Hill's shoes in her absence and was leading the field going into this year but has since been blighted by injuries. Canada's Brianne Thiesen-Eaton is the favorite to top the podium but, as Johnson-Thompson says, "If Jess comes out in London 2012 form it's game over for everyone." Expect that trio to fight it out for the top three spots over the event's two days.
Sunday August 23 - Men's 100m Final
Usain Bolt returns to the scene of his explosive Olympic gold and he will want to roll back the clock after an injury-affected last couple of seasons. Standing between the Jamaican and a return to glory is Justin Gatlin. At 33, the American is five years Bolt's senior but he is running faster than ever before, including the years that he tested positive for banned substances. Gatlin has not been beaten over this distance for two years but Bolt has not been beaten in a World or Olympic final since 2008. Both men are coming into form but it is the American who has set the three fastest times in the world this year.
Monday August 24 - Men's Pole Vault Final
France's Renaud Lavillenie is the current world record holder and the reigning Olympic champion but he has never topped the podium at the World Championships. He cleared 6.05m outdoors earlier this year so is capable, on his day, of setting a standard that his competitors have yet to reach. Heading the list of competitors is reigning champ Raphael Holzdeppe who has returned from injury to defend his crown. A 5.94m vault earlier this season gives him hope but it's all eyes on the Frenchman.
Tuesday August 25 - Men's 800m Final
There was a time when Kenya's David Rudisha was considered a shoo-in over this distance but time and injury have not been kind. Botswana's Nijel Amos has become the dominant force at 800m, beating the Kenyan in their last half -dozen races, but Rudisha's -challenge cannot be dismissed. Nor can the chances of Bosnia's Amel Tuka, who has set the fastest time in the event this year.
Wednesday August 26 - Women's Pole Vault Final
Cuba's Yarisley Silva has slowly but steadily become the clear favorite in the event after getting a silver medal at the London Olympic Games and a bronze at the last World Championships a year later. Earlier this season she cleared 4.91m, which puts her third on the all-time list. In the form she is in there is a chance that she can do better in Beijing.
Thursday August 27 - Men's 200m Final
As if the Bolt vs. Gatlin match-up in the 100m was not exciting enough, we get to enjoy it all over again for twice as long a few days later. Bolt is -considered favorite over this distance but it is 27 races in the 100m and 200m since Gatlin has walked away with anything but first place. The fact that he ran a personal best 19.57 seconds at the U.S. track and field championships in June, the fastest time in the world this year, won't harm Gatlin's confidence even if the crowd will be firmly on the side of the Jamaican.
Friday August 28 - Women's 200m Final
Jamaica's Elaine Thompson will be looking to bring home at least one 200m title for the -nation that produces a disproportionate number of top level sprinters. Her chances are increased after Olympic champion Allyson Felix opted to concentrate on the 400m but America's Candyce -McGrone and Dafne Schippers of the Netherlands will also be eyeing the title.
Saturday August 29 - Men's 4x100m relay
Bolt versus Gatlin writ large. That's the story of the relay but there's added tension as the Jamaican and American sprint teams have history.
Team USA currently have the bragging rights after victory in May but Bolt and his teammates will go all guns blazing to even the score.
