Stuttgart GER - The fourth edition of the IAAF World Athletics Final takes place in Stuttgart, Germany, on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 September. We continue our Event Category Previews with the HURDLES.

After the last qualifying meeting, the IAAF Golden League meeting in Berlin (Sunday 3 September), the process began to contact all the athletes concerned to ascertain that they are fit and willing to compete. Not until those answers are received, wild card entries are decided, and the usual technical meeting is held on the day before the World Athletics Final, can the final start list be made available. Consequently, our previews are as accurate as possible before that time.

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110 Metre Hurdles

The men’s high hurdles produced some of the finest, closest and unpredictable races in 2005, capped by Liu Xiang’s phenomenal 12.88 World record, making the event one of the key attractions at this year’s World Athletics Final. Week in and week out, many of the world’s top hurdlers faced each other, with no one displaying clear dominance.

Since that enchanting evening of athletics in Lausanne in July, Xiang hasn’t raced internationally, too busy with commitments at home in China. But whether the Olympic champion appears in Stuttgart or not, a fiercely competitive race will be on tap.

Since his surprise silver medal at the World Indoor Championships, Cuban teenager Dayron Robles has wasted little time to place himself among the top hurdlers in the world. Collecting key wins in Madrid (13.08), Monaco (13.14), Linz (13.13), Padova and the Central American and Caribbean Games (13.12), the teenager is a threat whenever he steps onto the tack.

Aries Merritt, the 2004 World junior champion, has made his first full international season a memorable one, with several top-three finishes in key races, a win in Stockholm, and a PB 13.12 in Lausanne. As a double Olympic medallist, Trammell Terrence too is a big meet competitor. He equalled his career best of 13.02 in Lausanne, won at Rome’s Golden Gala and in the chill of Ostrava, and finished second at the always difficult U.S. championships.

Momentum might be on David Oliver’s side, the 24-year-old American who’s a relative newcomer on the international scene. He lowered his PB to 13.20 in Slovakia on 29 August, and at last Sunday’s ISTAF meeting in Berlin, claimed the biggest victory of his career in his 40th race of the year.

Not to be left out is American veteran Allen Johnson, the defending champion, who signaled his return from injury with wins in Zurich and Zagreb.

400 Metre Hurdles

Last year, Bershawn Jackson came to the World Athletics Final as a recently-minted World champion and the event’s dominant force, and easily defended his World Athletics Final title. 12 months later, slowed by injury problems, he’ll set his blocks hoping to snap a three race losing streak.

Nonetheless, the 23-year-old Florida native was consistently faster than everyone else in the world this year, dipping under 48 seconds four times, while collecting key victories in Athens, Lausanne, and Rome. If healthy, he’ll be hungry to return to his winning ways.

While Jackson slowed in the second half of the season, Greek champion Periklis Iakovakis picked up the pace. Opening with a 47.82 national record in May, the 27-year-old cruised to the European title virtually unchallenged before winning in both Zurich (47.92) and Monaco in the span of 48 hours.

African and Commonwealth champion L.J. van Zyl, barely 21, spent much of the season polishing his act to join the event’s elite. A consistent performer with a slew of second and third place performances, the South African is still looking for his first sub-48 but will arrive in Stuttgart as a solid podium threat.

World leader Kerron Clement (47.39) remains a question mark. Ongoing difficulties with the final third of his race has led to inconsistency, but he has won two of last three races and is eager to make amends in Stuttgart.

Others in the podium mix are Japan’s Kenji Narisako, American James Carter, South African Alwyn Myburgh, and Jamaicans Danny McFarlane and Kemel Thompson.

WOMEN –

100 Metre Hurdles

With 10 wins in 13 races this season, reigning World champion Michelle Perry is the odds on favourite to defending the World Athletics Final title she won last year in Monaco. After her victory in Lausanne with a world leading 12.43, she followed up with wins in Stockholm, Zurich, Monaco and Brussels, with a runner-up finish in Rome the lone blemish on her summer schedule.

Last year Perry was chased to the line by Jamaican Brigitte Foster-Hylton, who remains one of the most consistent performers on the circuit. The Commonwealth champion won the Golden League opener in Oslo, finished second in Zurich and Brussels, and third in Paris and Rome. With her season’s best 12.49 in Lausanne, she’s been very fast this year as well.

Damu Cherry, the runner-up at the U.S. championships, has several fast races to her credit this summer, including her 12.44 PB from Lausanne, along with a runner up finish in Paris and a third place showing in Zurich.

US national and NCAA champion Ginny Powell, European champion Susanna Kallur from Sweden, and Canada’s 2003 World Champion Perdita Felicien are in the podium hunt as well, while Germany’s Kristen Bolm will be looking for a strong home appearance to cap her season.

400 Metre Hurdles

Since her second place finish at the World championships last year, Lashinda Demus has become the undisputed No. 1 in the full-lap barriers race. With just a pair of losses in 12 races this year, and with six of the year’s fastest performances, she’s built a strong case to assume the favourite’s role to defend her WAF title. But the event in Stuttgart nonetheless has the makings of fiercely competitive race.

Consider the pre-race drama: World champion Yuliya Pechonkina of Russia resumed competition last weekend with a fast 53.14 victory at the US-Russia match in Moscow, defeating Demus. After missing last year to injury, Olympic champion Fani Halkia is reportedly back to full strength, and may use Stuttgart as a final tune-up prior to her return to the track where she achieved her Olympic triumph at next weekend’s World Cup. And when Demus lost her stride down the homestretch at Monaco’s Herculis meeting, American Tiffany Ross-Williams stepped up to win with a PB 53.79.

Last year Demus won in 53.37; as fast a performance, or faster, might be required to win this time around.