Athletics: World's best - men

The Kings of Speed

100m/200m
Tyson Gay has been the fastest man on the planet in recent times and is the hot favourite in the glamour sprint events at Beijing. The 25 year-old American did the 100/200 double at the 2007 World Championships and is looking to become the first man since compatriot Carl Lewis in 1984 to achieve such a feat in Olympic Competition

400m
2004 Champion Jeremy Wariner (USA) remains the man to beat in the third 'sprint' event. In the intervening years he has been nigh-on unbeatable, triumphing at the Athletics World Championships in 2005 and 2007.

Pass me the baton
In eleven World Championships since 1983 the USA have won the relay events on eight occasions. There has been a similar dominance at Olympic level and expect the Americans to be relay-kings once again and avenge their Athens defeat at the hands of a gutsy British team.

Middle distance

800m:
Alfred Kirwa Yego is the reigning world champion and carries the hopes of Kenya in this glamour event.

1500m
New Zealand has had an extraordinary three gold medallists in the blue riband event of the track programme. 2006 Commonwealth champion Nick Willis hopes to follow in the footsteps of Jack Lovelock (1936) Peter Snell (1964) and John Walker (1976). He will have to beat Bernard Lagat (USA), the best in the business over this distance in 2007 and silver medallist from Athens.

Long distance

5000m
Lagat is the current world champion and definitely the man to beat. He represented Kenya in Athens but is now a nationalised American and is looking to repeat the extraordinary feat of Moroccan legend Hicham El Guerrouji who took the 1500/5000 double in 2004.

10,000m
Kenenisa Bekele's (Ethiopia) duel down the home straight with countryman Sileshi Sihine remains one of the most enduring memories of the Athens Olympic. Bekele is back to defend his crown and must be favourite, having also garnered gold at the last three world championships (2003, 2005, 2007).

Marathon
Luke Kibet (Kenya) continued the African monopoly at the 2007 World Championships and will be one of the main contenders over the 26 miles. Steer clear of the TAB on this one though, as the Marathon is notorious for throwing up unusual results.

Might as well jump..

110m Hurdles
Liu Xiang (China) proved his emotional Athens success was no fluke when he shot down a strong field at the 2007 World Championships. Hometown support will ensure Xiang is hard to beat.

400m Hurdles
Kerron Clement (USA) is the best in the world in this intriguing event but the 22 year has a long, long way to go - literally - to emerge out of the shadow of countryman Edwin Moses. Moses was undefeated in this event for nine years, nine months and nine days - a scarcely believable 122 races.

3000m Steeplechase
Briana Kiruto is the latest a long line of exceptional Kenyans in this event. The African nation has won every gold in this event since 1984, and for good measure also taken silver in the last five Olympics. World record holder Saif Saheed Saheen is a Kenyan who now runs for Qatar after switching countries in 2003 for a reputed $US1 million.

High Jump
Donald Thomas (Bahamas) is the current world champion.

Long Jump
Irving Saladino (Panama) will be the man to beat in Beijing. No jokes about leaping across canals please!

The world's strongest men

Decathlon
Great Britain, the USA and the Czech Republic have completely monopolised this event at World Championship level over the last 25 years. Czech Roman Seborle is the current world champion.

Shotput
Reigning world Champion Reese Hoffa (USA) hopes to go one better than compatriot Adam Nelson who was saddled with silver in Sydney and Athens.

Discus
Gerd Kanter was the pride of Estonia when he took gold in the 2007 World Championships. There will be tears of joy in Tallin and all across the Baltic country if the 29year-old can triumph in Beijing.

Javelin
Finland's Tero Pitamaki continued a proud tradition when he gained gold at the 2007 World Championships. The country that gave us Nokia and sauna has also won an astounding seven of the eleven world championships since 1983.