By Yoon Chul
Among the 47 events at the IAAF World Championships Daegu 2011, the most interest will be on who the fastest human on earth will be and how fast he will run.
Usain Bolt of Jamaica is the heavy favorite. Bolt set consecutive world records at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and IAAF World Championships in Berlin in 2009 and his time of 9.58 seconds in the men’s 100-meter two years ago is the current record.
Tyson Gay of the United States and Asafa Powell of Jamaica are the strongest contenders but fans are more interested in whether Bolt can improve on his world record.
The final is scheduled for Aug. 28, the second day of the world championships.
The IAAF is the biggest stage for track and field athletes but Chinese athlete Liu Xiang is much bigger than others. The 27-year-old can prove he has successfully returned from injury at the world championships.
The Athens Olympic gold medalist Liu didn’t dominate the field at the last two world championships or Beijing Olympics. Recently he took the gold in this year’s IAAF Diamond League against rival David Oliver of the United States with a time of 13.07 seconds.
Liu’s best time is just .01 seconds off the world record (12.87) and he could beat it with a strong run.
The women’s 100-meters is also extremely popular.
The race will be a close contest between two Jamaicans, Shelly-ann Fraser and Kerron Stewart, and Carmelita Jeter of the United States.
Fraser won in the Summer Games in 2008 and world championships in 2009.
Jeter has 2011’s fastest run, clocking in at 10.86.
The world championships in Daegu will be the stage of another legend’s return. World record holder Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia will be hoping of a return to form.
In the previous world championships in Berlin Isinbayeva not only left without a medal but also failed all her attempts.
Fortunately for Russia and her fans she won this year’s IAAF Indoor Permit Meetings with a 4.81-meter result.
Her best vault is a world record 5.06 meters.
This will be a clash between Allyson Felix of the United States and Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica Felix aims to win a fourth world championships in a row.
Campbell-Brown, winner of 2008 Summer Games, is a strong contender but Lauryn Williams of the United States and Fraser are also threats as the duo have the season’s second and third fastest times after Felix.
Blanka Vlasic of Croatia will draw attention whether or not she triumphs in Daegu. She dominated the field winning 18 of 20 events until last season.
For the 2011 season the Croatian is at the front of the pack with Xingjuan Zheng of China and Marina Aitova of Kazakhstan with jumps of 1.94 meters but her best record is 2.08 meters — one centimeter off the world record.
It will be another show for Bolt who set a new record crossing the finish line at 19.19 in the previous world championships.
While the record holder doesn’t have an official time for this season, compatriot Nickel Ashmeade has the season’s best of 19.95 and the second fastest is 20.06 by Walter Dix of the United States.
The last event of the world championships is the relay. It is also a key event for Bolt to claim three gold medals.
Bolt won 100-meter, 200-meter, and 4x100-meter relay in the world championships in 2009. The strongest contender is the United States.
yc@koreatimes.co.kr