A new generation of athletes joins some established ones seeking stardom in the wake of Usain Bolt’s retirement at the World Athletics Championships. Following are 10 athletes to watch at the September 27-October 6 event in Doha
CHRISTIAN COLEMAN
Leads the 100 metres season list for a third straight year, with 9.81 seconds, and finally seeks his first major outdoor title. The 23-year-old American had to settle for silver behind Justin Gatlin in 2017 and then took the world indoor title over 60m last year. But Coleman was also at the centre of a controversy around three missed doping tests but has since been cleared to run in Doha.
NOAH LYLES
Specialises in Bolt’s former pet event, the 200m, and his time of 19.50 seconds this year puts him fourth on the all-time list. Like Coleman, the 22-year-old is in search of his biggest title after2014 Youth Olympics gold and the 2015 Pan American title.
ARMAND DUPLANTIS
The new shooting star of pole vaulting. The America-born Swedish teenager raised his personal best by 13 centimetres to a stunning 6.05m for the European title last year. The world junior champion has cleared 6m again this year and does not hide that he wants to dominate the sport in the same way Sergey Bubka and his mentor Renaud Lavillenie did in the past.
KARSTEN WARHOLM
He has been the leading 400m hurdles runner of the past years and is the title holder in Doha. The 23-year-old Norwegian recently stormed to second on the all-time list with 46.92 seconds but the 2018 European champion could face stiff competition from local hope Abderrahmen Samba and American American Rai Benjamin who have also run faster than 47 seconds.
CHRISTIAN TAYLOR
Three-time world champion and double Olympic champion in the triple jump, with the only thing missing in his illustrious career being the world record. The 29-year-old American has come within eight centimetres of Jonathan Edwards’ record 18.29m from 1995 and a possibly fears duel with compatriot season leader Will Clyne (18.14) could see the record finally fall.
SHELLY-ANN FRASER-PRYCE
Back from maternity leave and the co-world best in 100m with 10.73 seconds shows she is as fast as before the break and ready to add to her silverware of nine gold and 15 medals overall from worlds and Olympics. The 32-year-old Jamaican ‘pocket rocket’ however faces a major domestic rival in the blue riband event in Elaine Thompson who has also run 10.73 this season.
DINA ASHER-SMITH
Bidding to become the new face of the women’s sprints after a famous European title treble last year. The 23-year-old Briton has won relay medals at the 2016 Olympics and 2017 worlds, and now eyes individual medals at the global stage, ranked fourth in the 100m and 200m season lists.
DELILAH MUHAMMAD
Wants gold at last at the worlds after two silvers in the 400m hurdles. The 29-year-old American has a gold from the 2016 Olympics and is the firm favourite in Doha, having bettered the world record to 52.20 seconds this year. It makes her only the second woman in the discipline to win Olympic gold and hold the world record, the other being Britain’s Sally Gunnell.
MARIYA LASITSKENE
Can become the first women’s high jumper to win the world title three times in a row. The 26-year-old Russian, competing as a neutral athlete in Doha, won 45 competitions in a row between June 2016 and June 2018, and 11 of her 12 this year, soaring a world best 2.06m. But she failed to clear 2m in her last two events and was beaten for the first time by Ukraine’s Yuliya Levchenko, the 2017 silver medallist.
NAFISSATOU THIAM
Has ruled the heptathlon lately with 2016 Olympic gold, the 2017 world title and 2018 European top spot. The 25-year-old Belgian leads the season with 6,819 points she achieved despite an elbow injury in Talence, France, clearing a heptathlon record 2.02m at that event. She has also bettered the national long jump record to 6.86m this year. — DPA
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