Track and Field's Greatest Stars Place Their Marks for World Titles

David Oliver With twelve months to visit before London hosts the following Olympic games, the earth's best runners, throwers and jumpers have incorporated on Daegu, Columbia, for that ultimate dress testing, the IAAF World Track & Area Titles. Beginning Saturday (Friday evening within the U.S.) and running through Sunday, Sept. 4, sports athletes will face off for global game titles - and also the favorites' status heading for the 2012 Summer time Games. NBC/Universal Sports analyst Ato Boldon is predicting "a global championship of debate and intrigue," given some dynamic sports athletes (including double-amputee Oscar Pistorius of Nigeria, who operates on prosthetic carbon-fiber rotor blades and it has qualified for that 400-meter dash) and also the tricky new false-start rule that shows no whim to anybody who jumps the gun. Extensive TV coverage (see schedule, below) means fans will see a lot of the experience. Listed here are three story lines sure get noticed in Daegu: &bull Will lightning strike again for Usain Bolt? The protecting champion within the 100- and 200-meter dashes (along with the 4x100 relay), Usain Bolt continues to be probably the most dominant runner in the world since storming to Olympic glory in 2008. But carrying out a loss last summer time and a number of lackluster victories this year, the lanky Jamaican might be vulnerable (a minimum of within the shorter race). "There is nothing Usain Bolt's 2011 season that will intimidate anybody that's prone to line facing him in the world titles," states Boldon, an Olympic medalist for Trinidad and Tobago and also the 1997 world champion within the 200. "He isn't beginning well, he isn't speeding up well, and the top speed appears to possess deserted him this season. This is the holy trinity of sprint problems." Bolt's job of protecting got just a little simpler Thursday when teammate and former world-record-holder Asafa Powell drawn from the talk with an injuries. Other challengers include Trinidad and Tobago's Richard Thompson and American Walter Dix, the silver and bronze medalists, correspondingly, in the 2008 Olympic games, and Jamaica's Nesta Carter. &bull Can Allyson Felix double lower in Daegu? Already the 3-time protecting champion within the 200-meters, American Allyson Felix is trying an unparalleled women's double this season, opting for gold within the 400 before seeking title No. 4 in her own niche. "The schedule is extremely suitable for her," Boldon states. The 400 final is Monday evening, August. 29, and also the 200 warms don't set off until Thursday morning, Sept. 1. "I believe for an individual [like Felix] that has good natural endurance, individuals 2 days can produce a large difference." Still, Boldon has concerns over her form - she has not been as dominant as this past year, when she rated No. 1 on the planet both in occasions. Within the 200 she'll face Olympic champion Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica, in addition to U.S. teammate Carmelita Jeter, one hundred-meter specialist who beat Felix inside a 200 recently. The 400 area includes protecting champion Sanya Richards-Ross, that has finally came back to top form after fighting injuries, and Botswana's Amantle Montsho, the African champion and champion of 4 straight Gemstone League races this summer time. &bull Who definitely are the king from the hurdles? Probably the most anticipated event from the titles may be the men's 110-meter hurdles, featuring the 3 quickest entertainers ever. Cuba's Dayron Robles may be the reigning Olympic champion and world-record holder (12.87 seconds) and it has looked sharp this summer time. The 2004 Olympic champion, Liu Xiang of China, includes a better of 12.88 and it is wanting to add another world championship towards the title he won in 2007. Three-time U.S. champion David Oliver won Olympic bronze in 2008, supports the American record (12.89) and was last year's No. 1 hurdler, but he's had an up and lower season this year, suffering deficits to Robles, Liu or more-and-coming teammate Jason Richardson. "David Oliver offers quite a bit to prove," Boldon states. He's already considered their equal when it comes to time, however in e-commerce you're judged in what your championship answers are.Inch Additionally to public coverage on NBC and Universal Sports, you will see survive-demand streaming video at UniversalSports.com, as well as for exceptional analysis, follow Boldon on Twitter @AtoBoldon. The tv schedule (click the link to locate Universal in your town): Friday, August. 26: 10pm/9c, Universal Sports Saturday, August. 27: 1:30pm/12:30c, NBC and 10pm/9c, Universal Sports Sunday, August. 28: 12:30pm/11:30am c, NBC and 10pm/9c, Universal Sports Monday, August. 29: 2pm/1c and 10pm/9c, Universal Sports Tuesday, August. 30: 2pm/1c and 10pm/9c, Universal Sports Wednesday, August. 31: 10pm/9c, Universal Sports Thursday, Sept. 1: 2pm/1c and 10pm/9c, Universal Sports Friday, Sept. 2: 2pm/1c and 10pm/9c, Universal Sports Saturday, Sept. 3: 2pm/1c, NBC and 8pm/7c, Universal Sports Sunday, Sept. 4: 1:30pm/12:30c, NBC Sign up for TV Guide Magazine now!