It's finally time! The World Championships are about to begin. Track & field's two biggest names will take their final bows this week in London, as Usain Bolt's incredible career will come to a close, and so will Mo Farah's (although Farah will transition to marathons). South Africa's Wayde Van Niekerk sure looks poised to become the sport's new biggest star, but I think Bolt's got one last spectacular performance up his sleeve.
So many of us were rooting for that Bolt vs. Van Niekerk showdown in the 200, but, alas, it won't happen. Bolt's only going to run the 100. And that victory, while by no means guaranteed, became a much more likely scenario now that Andre De Grasse has withdrawn from Worlds. David Rudisha withdrew, too, which is a bummer, since he somehow managed to steal the show from Bolt for a night with his remarkable world record in the 800 at this stadium five years ago.
This World Championships also marks the first time the program is equal for men and women, as the women's 50 kilometer walk has been added. Although, they only added it a few days before the qualifying period ended, so there will only be seven competitors in the event (it would've been six if American Susan Randall hadn't won her lawsuit). I think it's incredible that they've finally put in the women's 50K walk and evened up the events, but they should've done it much more in advance. They'll have plenty of notice for Doha 2019, so maybe there'll be more than seven participants two years from now.
We also see Russia's return to major championships (sort of). The IAAF voted to maintain Russia's ban (although Jamaica voted for reinstatement), but Russia is sending a team of 19 "neutrals." No flag, no national colors, no anthem, but they are allowed to compete. Which will make things very awkward when Maria Lasitskene wins the women's high jump.
As for my complete medal picks, here we go...
Men's 100: Usain Bolt (JAM), Christian Coleman (USA), Yohan Blake (JAM)
Men's 200: Wayde Van Niekerk (RSA), Isaac Makwala (BOT), Akani Simbine (RSA)
Men's 400: Wayde Van Niekerk (RSA), LaShawn Merritt (USA), Gil Roberts (USA)
Men's 800: Nijel Amos (BOT), Emmanuel Korir (KEN), Amel Tuka (BIH)
Men's 1500: Asbel Kiprop (KEN), Ronald Kwemoi (KEN), Matthew Centrowitz (USA)
Men's 5000: Mo Farah (GBR), Joshua Cheptegei (UGA), Muktar Edris (ETH)
Men's 10,000: Mo Farah (GBR), Abdai Hadis (ETH), Mohammed Ahmed (CAN)
Men's Marathon: Kenenisa Bekele (ETH), Stephen Kiprotich (UGA), Daniel Wanjiru (KEN)
Men's 110 Hurdles: Omar McLeod (JAM), Ronald Levy (JAM), Sergei Shubenkov
Men's 400 Hurdles: Kerron Clement (USA), Eric Futch (USA), Karsten Warholm (NOR)
Men's Steeplechase: Conseslus Kipruto (KEN), Evan Jager (USA), Jairus Birech (KEN)
Men's Long Jump: Luvo Manyonga (RSA), Aleksandr Menkov, Jarrion Lawson (USA)
Men's Triple Jump: Christian Taylor (USA), Will Claye (USA), Max Hess (GER)
Men's High Jump: Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT), Derek Drouin (CAN), Danil Lysenko
Men's Pole Vault: Sam Kendricks (USA), Piotr Lysek (POL), Renaud Lavillenie (FRA)
Men's Shot Put: Ryan Crouser (USA), Joe Kovacs (USA), Tomas Walsh (NZL)
Men's Discus: Daniel Stahl (SWE), Robert Urnabek (POL), Fedrick Dacres (JAM)
Men's Hammer Throw: Pawel Fajdek (POL), Wojcieh Nowicki (POL), Esref Apak (TUR)
Men's Javelin: Thomas Rohler (GER), Tero Pitkamaki (FIN), Johannes Vetter (GER)
Men's 20 km Walk: Wang Kaihua (CHN), Eiki Takahashi (JPN), Wang Rui (CHN)
Men's 50 km Walk: Evan Dunfee (CAN), Robert Heffernan (IRL), Jared Tallent (AUS)
Decathlon: Rico Freimuth (GER), Damian Warner (CAN), Lindon Victor (GRN)
Men's 4x100 Relay: Jamaica, United States, Great Britain
Men's 4x400 Relay: United States, Trinidad & Tobago, Botswana
Women's 100: Elaine Thompson (JAM), Dafne Schippers (NED), Tori Bowie (USA)
Women's 200: Dafne Schippers (NED), Tori Bowie (USA), Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH)
Women's 400: Allyson Felix (USA), Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH), Quanera Hayes (USA)
Women's 800: Caster Semenya (RSA), Francine Niyonsaba (BDI), Melissa Bishop (CAN)
Women's 1500: Faith Kipyegon (KEN), Genzebe Dibaba (ETH), Sifan Hassan (NED)
Women's 5000: Hellen Obiri (KEN), Genzebe Dibaba (ETH), Yasemin Can (TUR)
Women's 10,000: Almaz Ayana (ETH), Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH), Molly Huddle (USA)
Women's Marathon: Yuka Ando (JPN), Eunice Kirwa (BRN), Helah Kiprop (KEN)
Women's 100 Hurdles: Keni Harrison (USA), Sharika Nelvis (USA), Sally Pearson (AUS)
Women's 400 Hurdles: Dalilah Muhammad (USA), Janieve Russell (JAM), Shamier Little (USA)
Women's Steeplechase: Ruth Jebet (BRN), Sofia Assefa (ETH), Hyvin Jepkemoi (KEN)
Women's Long Jump: Ivana Spanovic (SRB), Brittany Reese (USA), Tianna Bartoletta (USA)
Women's Triple Jump: Caterine Ibarguen (COL), Yulimar Rojas (VEN), Olga Rypakova (KAZ)
Women's High Jump: Maria Lasitskene, Airine Palsyte (LTU), Kamila Licwinko (POL)
Women's Pole Vault: Ekaterina Stefanidi (GRE), Sandi Morris (USA), Jenn Suhr (USA)
Women's Shot Put: Anita Marton (HUN), Gong Lijiao (CHN), Raven Saunders (USA)
Women's Discus: Sandra Perkovic (CRO), Yaime Perez (CUB), Dani Samuels (AUS)
Women's Hammer Throw: Anita Wlodarczyk (POL), Wang Zheng (CHN), Gwen Berry (USA)
Women's Javelin: Sara Kolak (CRO), Barbora Spotakova (CZE), Liu Shiying (CHN)
Women's 20 km Walk: Wang Na (CHN), Antonella Palimsano (ITA), Lyu Xiuzhi (CHN)
Women's 50 km Walk: Ines Henriques (POR), Yin Hang (CHN), Yan Shuqing (CHN)
Heptathlon: Nafi Thiam (BEL), Katarina Johnson-Thompson (GBR), Carolin Schaefer (GER)
Women's 4x100 Relay: United States, Jamaica, Germany
Women's 4x400 Relay: United States, Jamaica, Great Britain
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