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By Noel ‘Bravo’ Francis, Special to TrackAlerts.Com

Winning a world championship title is indeed one of the greatest accomplishments for any athlete. It is the rewarding climax of all the hard work, sacrifices, travelling and expectations an athlete has to endure over his/her career. The World Championship occurs every two years and many persons believe that winning consecutive titles is just as hard as or perhaps harder than the first. In this preview, we will look at five defending champions who are most likely to regain their titles in Beijing, China.

Caterine Ibarguen – Triple Jump

Caterine Ibarguen is without doubt one of the most exciting female triple jumpers seen in a long while. She is electrifying, confident and most importantly, extremely difficult to beat even on a bad day. The Colombian star and World Champion is unbeaten in the triple jump 2013. During that period she has won back-to-back Diamond Race trophies and is on course for a hat-trick of wins this season. However, the most cherished title Ibarguen will covet this season will be the World triple jump title in Beijing, China. Ibarguen is expected to be involved in some bruising battles with the Europeans; however, the Colombian who is ranked fifth all-time (15.31m) knows that she is just one jump away from defending her title.

Mo Farah 5000m & 10,000m

Mohamed Farah, popularly called Mo Farah, is considered Great Britain’s greatest distance runner of all time. At the London Olympics, Mo Farah brought his home crowd to its feet inside the sold out stadium when he won both the 5000m and 10,000m. The feat cemented his legacy as prior to that Farah won the 5000m at the 2011 World Championship in Daegu, Korea. Farah has gone from strength to strength and was in scintillating form at the 14th World Championship in Moscow capturing both the 5000m and 10,000m in style. It would be a brave person to bet against Mo Farah repeating those performances in Beijing, China.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce – 100m

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is an athlete who whenever she is in the mood and gets it right is virtually unstoppable over 100m. Fraser-Pryce since coming on the international scene in 2008 has only lost one individual 100m final at a major championship and that was in 2011 after a slight stumble in her usual bullet start. She is currently hitting top form and anyone harbouring thoughts of dethroning her will need to be running 10.6 seconds or faster. At the Jamaica National Senior Championship, Fraser-Pryce demonstrated an almost flawless sprinting exhibition from start to finish winning the women’s 100m final in 10.79 seconds. It was an ominous signal to her opponents considering that she was nowhere near her peak form.

In July at the Paris Diamond League Fraser-Pryce registered 10.74 seconds to become the fastest woman this season. Interestingly, no other woman in the last decade has run more 10.7 times as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. She is having a ‘purple patch’ and barring another stumble, she is odds on favourite to win a third 100m title and etch her name firmly into the annals of women’s sprinting. Fraser-Pryce will have fond memories of this stadium; it is where she won her first global title.

Asbel Kiprop – Men’s 1500m

Kenya’s Asbel Kiprop has literally separated himself from the field this season. The lanky Kenyan ran a stunning 3:26.69 on course to victory at the Monaco Diamond League. The time was not only the fastest time this season; it was also the first time since 2002 an athlete ran below 3:27.00. Kiprop is now ranked 3rd on the 1500m all-time list and is on course to defend his 1500m title which will give him a hat-trick of wins since 2011. Kiprop also won the Olympic title at this venue in 2008.

Jamaica Women’s 4x100m relay

Jamaica and Team USA are headed for several sprint showdowns in Beijing, China. Over the years many of the clashes have been exciting while others have fizzled due to baton foul ups and disqualifications. At the last World Championship in Moscow, Jamaica completely annihilated the opposition on its way to a championship record of 41.29 seconds. The Jamaica team is confident of repeating and ready for all challengers including the United States. This event could be one of the races of the championship.

 

About the Author:
Noel ‘Bravo’ Francis is a very exciting and creative freelance sports writer from Jamaica specializing in the fields of athletics and cricket. His colourful down to earth yet professional personality makes him a favourite amongst athletes and fans. Readers are often exposed to his detailed knowledge and passion which usually increase their interest in the athletes, events and the sport overall. He has a first degree in Banking & Finance and works in the financial industry. Contact Noel at [email protected]

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