Looking to the Throwing Events, the 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Osaka, Japan (25 Aug to 2 Sep) will host a slew of solid medal favourites along with some compelling head-to-head competitions.

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Defending Shot Put champion Adam Nelson (21.47 SB) will have a battle on his hands, primarily with his American compatriot Reese Hoffa, the reigning World Indoor champion who threw a career best and world-leading 22.43m in London. Olympic bronze medallist Joachim Olsen of Denmark continues to improve; most recently the Dane improved his national record to 21.61.

Estonian Gerd Kanter is the world leader (72.02 from early May), but few can deny that the Discus Throw favourite in Osaka will be Lithuanian Virgilijus Alekna. The two-time World and Olympic champion currently boasts the longest win streak in the sport at 37 (finals). He’s thrown beyond 70m four times this season, including a 71.56 season’s best.

With nine men throwing beyond 80m this season, the Hammer Throw will be among the most hotly contested events at the World Championships. Of those, three – Vadim Devyatovskiy (82.94) and Ivan Tikhon (82.58) of Belarus and Slovenian national record holder Primoz Kozmus (82.30) have reached beyond 82m.

The Javelin Throw will be a barn-burner as well, with the spotlight on a formidable foursome: world leader Breaux Greer (91.29) of the USA, Finn Tero Pitkämäki (91.23), Latvia’s Olympic silver medallist Vadim Vasilevskis (90.73) and Norway’s Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen (89.49). None have ever captured a World title.

WOMEN

Just two women have thrown beyond 20m in the Shot Put, with reigning World champion Nadzeya Ostapchuk of Belarus surpassing the barrier twice: 20.34 and 20.27 last weekend. German Petra Lammert hit a career best 20.04 in May, but has been less consistent since.

Franka Dietzsch has built a strong case to emerge as a favourite to capture a third World title in the Discus Throw. She’s won all but three of her 15 competitions this season, and leads the world with a 68.06 effort. Americans Suzy Powell (67.67) and Becky Breisch (67.37) have thrown beyond 67m and Czech Vera Cechlova (66.18), the bronze medallist two years ago, has won six of her seven competitions.

16 women have thrown beyond 72m this season, fabulous depth that leaves the women’s Hammer Throw title virtually up for grabs. Russian Gulfiya Khanafeyeva leads the list with a 77.36 best, though Poland’s 2000 Olympic champion Kamila Skolimowska (76.83) and Cuba’s two-time former champion Yipsi Moreno (76.36) aren’t that far behind. German Betty Heidler (75.77 season’s best) has been among the most consistent.

Germany’s Christina Obergföll, whose world leading effort at the European Cup improved her own continental record to 70.20, is certainly the favourite on paper to improve from her runner-up spot in Helsinki in the Javelin Throw. The 25-year-old is undefeated in nine competitions this season. Her average winning throw – 67.11 – is farther than anyone else has thrown once this season. Czech Barbora Spotakova (66.08) and Christina Obergföll’s compatriot Steffi Nerius (65.78), are next on the season’s list.

Bob Ramsak for the IAAF