Atheltics Weekly

IAAF WORLD CHAMPS 2017
DOYLE ADMITS TO TOUGH TASK
400m HURDLES
EILIDH DOYLE will thrive in the
role of captaining the Great
Britain squad but has admitted
her task on the track will be
daunting, given the standard of
opposition.
Event statistics
World record: 52.34 Yuliya
Pechonkina (RUS)
Champs record: 52.42 Melaine
Walker (JAM)
Defending champion: Zuzana
Hejnova (CZE)
British interest: Meghan Beesley,
Eilidh Doyle, Jess Turner
AW prediction: 1 Muhammad (USA);
2 Little (USA); 3 Hejnova (CZE)
History: Three athletes have won
double gold previously – Moroccan
Nezha Bidouane, Australia’s Jana
Pittman and Hejnova. The latter
chases a record third win.
AFTER winning medals at
the past four editions of the
championships as well as
gaining Olympic gold last year,
Liu Hong doesn’t have the
“I’m going to have to run
every race like it’s the final,” said
the highly experienced Scot.
“The hurdles are so stacked this
year. You have all the Americans
who smashed it at their trials
and then the Europeans have
Zuzana Hejnova and Sara
opportunity to add to that haul
as this time the Chinese trio
includes Lu Xiuzhi, Wang Na
and Yang Jiayu.
Lu claimed silver behind Liu
two years ago on home soil
while she also secured Olympic
bronze in Rio and as the fastest
of all the entrants so far this year
with 1:26:28 to her name she
will be hoping to get gold this
time.
It could be her team-mates
to follow her over the line and
complete a clean sweep in
London, though Italy’s Antonella
Palmisano and Maria Guadalupe
González of Mexico will be
aiming to spoil that party and
look to have the form to be able
to do so.
GB will have two
representatives as both Gemma
Bridge and Bethan Davies race
for the host nation.
Petersen, who is the Olympic
silver medallist. Then there’s
the Jamaicans as well. It’s very
stacked so if I want to make the
final I’m going to have to give it
everything.”
Danger will indeed be
lurking wherever Doyle looks.
The Americans of which she
speaks will be led by Olympic
champion Dalilah Muhammad,
who set the current world lead
during an incredible race in her
national trials, winning in 52.64
from Shamier Little (52.75)
and Kori Carter (52.95). Last
year’s Diamond League winner
Cassandra Tate completes the
USA contingent.
Hejnova, defending her
world title, and Petersen are
fierce competitors while the
Jamaican line-up is headed by
Rhonda Whyte.
The first ever women’s 50km
race walk champion will be
crowned in London, with the
entry list featuring a total of six
athletes, led by Portugal’s world
record-holder Inês Henriques
with 4:08:26. JW
Joining Doyle in the British
line-up will be Jess Turner,
who clocked her PB in taking
silver at the recent European
Under-23 Championships,
and Meghan Beesley, a world
championships semi-finalist in
2013 and 2015. EC
CHINA COULD CLAIM A CLEAN SWEEP
20/50km WALK
Chinese duo: Lu Xiuzhi with the
current world champion Liu Hong
Dalilah
Muhammad:
Olympic
champion
Bethan Davies: is racing in London
with GB team-mate Gemma Bridge
Shamier
Little:
part of
strong
US team
Event statistics
20km walk
World record: 1:24:38 Liu Hong
(CHN)
Champs record: 1:25:41 Olimpiada
Ivanova (RUS)
Defending champion: Liu Hong
British interest: Gemma Bridge,
Bethan Davies
AW prediction: 1 Lu Xiuzhi (CHN);
2 Wang Na (CHN); 3 Yanng Jiayi (CHN)
History: Olga Kaniskina initially won
three titles but has retrospectively
lost two of them due to drugs
suspensions, leaving fellow Russian
Olimpiada Ivanova ahead as a
double medallist.
50km walk
World record: 4:08:26 Ines
Henriques (POR)
Champs record: None
Defending champion: None
British interest: None
AW prediction: 1 Henriques (POR);
2 Hang Yin (CHN); 3 Katie Burnett
(USA)
History: None
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