26 September 2019

Top female athletes to look out for at the World Championships in Doha

The Athletics World Championships are almost upon us and the celebrations will soon begin as the athletes battle it out on the international stage in Doha.

Elaine Thompson for Jamaica will be looking to snatch the top spot in the 100m (PA Images)

The 10-day competition will feature the very best from around the world, so here is our guide to the top international women's competitors (excluding GB) to look out for.

Compatriots Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson from Jamaica will go head to head in the sprint double. Fraser-Pryce is two-time Olympic and seven-time World champion. Whilst Thompson is behind Fraser-Pryce in terms of medals they have both run equal times this season of 10.73 in the 100m. Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, who is the triple-European champion and has recently won the Diamond League 100m title, will fight them all the way.

USA's 4x400m squad will be attempting their ninth title at the Worlds (PA Images)

Team USA has dominated the field in the 4x400m for quite some time and two years ago they won by nearly six seconds; the fastest time since London 2012. The quartet will be running for their ninth title. The biggest name in the squad is Allyson Felix, the most decorated female athlete of all time. She will be looking for her 17th medal joining the 11 gold, three silver and two bronze already in the cabinet.

Ajee Wilson leading the pack at the World Indoor Championships last year (PA Images)

Ajee Wilson from the US is a big threat in the 800m as she has broken into the senior ranks. She will start as the fastest athlete in the field at 1:57.72. Wilson has won six out of eight races during the year including Diamond League events. Three-time world champion Caster Semenya won’t have the chance to defend her title after losing her battle against the IAAF about the restriction of testosterone levels in female athletes.

Sifan Hassan will look to dominate in all long distance events at the Championships (PA Images)

Ethiopian-Dutch Sifan Hassan is the current world number one in the 5000m. She has also recorded the fastest time in the world this year of 3:5:30 in the 1500m. She will enter the worlds in pole position and will compete in the 1500m, 5000m and 10,000m. The 26-year-old holds world indoor and outdoor medals and is the double European champion in the 1500m and 5000m.

Mariya Lasitskene is on form to clear a new personal best (PA Images)

Russia’s Mariya Lasitskene will be out to become three-time high jump champion. The neutral approved athlete has won 11 out of 12 outdoor competitions including the Diamond League title. She cleared a height of 2.06m and has topped 2.00m or better at the previous seven league competitions.

Regining champion Katerina Stefanidi will look to defend her title (PA Images)

In the pole vault, Katerina Stefanidi from Greece will enter the competition having not lost a major outdoor title after securing golds at both the Europeans and the Olympics. The 29- year-old star has broken her season’s best twice and has won six out of her 13 outdoor competitions in this season alone.

Malaika Mihambo will be challanged at this year's Worlds in Doha (PA Images)

Germany's Malaika Mihambo remains unbeaten in the long jump in nine competitions and leads the board with 7.16m. Challenging Mihambo will be Brittney Reese from the US who reached 7.00m earlier this year. Reese has won four world titles in her six appearances in the outdoor world championships.  

Gong Lijiao in the last World Championships in London (PA Images)

The shot put will see Gong Lijiao from China attempt her fifth medal on the international stage. In 2019 alone she has won 12 out of her 13 competitions and has thrown four of her best ever attempts, reaching 20.31m. She will start as the clear favourite at the event but close behind is rising US athlete Chase Ealey who reached a new personal best in her Diamond League debut of 19.58m.

Sandra Perkovic will go into the event with confidence after achieving a recent personal best (PA Images)

Sandra Perkovic from Croatia will compete in the discus for her third title in this championships. She is double Olympic champion and has five European gold medals to her name. However, she didn’t win in any of her five appearances during the Diamond League season. She did however produce a personal best of 67.65m at The Match in her final pre-world championship preparation.

The Athletics World Championships start tomorrow at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha.

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