14 July 2022

Five stars expected to light up the arena at World Championships

14 July 2022

Eugene’s Hayward Field hosts the World Championships which start on Friday.

Here, the PA news agency looks at five global stars who are expected to make an impact in Oregon.

Faith Kipyegon

Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon beaten Laura Muir in last year’s 1500m at the Olympics (Joe Giddens/PA) (PA Archive)

The Kenyan has been unbeaten since retaining her 1500m Olympic crown and is looking to upgrade the silver she won three years ago when she had just returned following a 21-month maternity break.

In Tokyo last year she became the first woman and only the second athlete to claim consecutive Olympic 1500m titles after Sebastien Coe.

Christian Coleman

All eyes will be on the defending 100m champion, back at a major championships for the first time since his ban for missing three drugs tests ended last year.

He has still only run the eighth fastest time this year but it will be difficult to write off the American after he won the US trials.

Shericka Jackson

Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson is the favourite in the 200m (Martin Rickett/PA) (PA Archive)

The sprint star is on fire this year and ran the third fastest 200m in the world when she clocked 21.55 seconds at Jamaica’s trials last month.

She dropped down from the 400m last year, having claimed 400m bronze in Doha three years ago, and was third in the 100m at the Tokyo Olympics.

Wayde van Niekerk

South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk has struggled with injury. (Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Archive)

Fit again, the 2016 Olympic champion and 400m world record holder is a favourite to make the podium.

He has struggled since a knee injury in 2019 forced him to miss the World Championships in Doha and he could only reach the semi-final in Tokyo last year but a fit van Niekerk is a force.

Sydney McLaughlin

The 22-year-old broke her own 400m hurdles world record, which she set at the Olympics, by posting 51.41 seconds at the US trials last month.

That it was at Hayward Field suggests the record could be on the line again, and she has not lost a race since coming second at the World Championships in Doha.

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