Preview Athletics: World Championships

Michael Johnson... Storming away to another gold medal...

Magnificent! That is history in the making!

Jessica Ennis-Hill is back on top of the world! A new world record!

Champion of the world... Usain Bolt...

The London Stadium in the heart of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and

this is the home of the 2017 world athletic championships. From

tomorrow the greatest world and track athletes in the world will

compete over ten days, aiming to jump further and throw further. It

is the 16th World Championships. In the history the first time it has

ever been held hooer in the UK. As we have seen since 1983 it given us

great moments and fantastic champions.

Whitbred, this is yours. Jonathan Edwards of Great Britain...

Going away and the world record has gone!

Jessica Ennis-Hill is back on top of the world!

To become champion of the world. Christine Ohuruogu is the world

champion. Oh, that's big! Oh, come on! It's going to be... Oh,

my goodness. That is history in the making. Jackson takes it.

Mo Farah, gold again. Fantastic for Farah. Usain Bolt!

Some amazing names. Some great moments there and some faces we will

see here in London trying to do it one more time. We will see, of

course, new faces, new heros will be created at these championships. It

will be a brilliant ten days. We start here on the finish line.

There'll be much talk over the next week about the end of career, in

particular Mr Usain Bolt. It is the final ever track race for Mo Farah

as well. It is great to see you guys, Denise, Paula and Michael. And

Michael, you get the feeling, it was incredible saying it is the first it

time it has been held in the UK, these championships. You sense the

IAAF will be pleased it is held in London, to come somewhere they know,

a city that can deliver and a stadium that can deliver. London

delivered in 2012, five years ago, right here in this stadium. And this

country supports athletics like no other country in the world. And so,

you know, I think this presents a great opportunity as one of the

steps, of mini-steps required to restore credibility. This could be

the start of Something Special for athletics over the next few years.

It will need it with the retirement of Bolt and all the controversy and

issues over the last few years. We will talk about him a lot over the

next hour and next ten days or so. Who are the faces you are looking

forward to seeing? The exciting new names? Well, from a domestic point

of view, we have some fantastic young athletes that are going to use

this opportunity. They will rekindle a lot of the magic that a lot of

athletes competing here, both internationally will have had.

Athletes like Shanon Hilton and Prescod. Making their mark in

athlete ticks. It is very good. That home support will be very good for

them. In a big-time stadium and big-time atmosphere. A packed

stadium, which is what we love. This is why it is important that London

does deliver. We have in the past. Record number of ticket sales.

Record number of sales and these athletes will love that. It is

incredible when you are here at the stadium the day before it is to kick

off in 24 hours' time. They are putting down the final licks of

paint. You can almost smell the glue, you can hear the noises. You

may well over the next hour or so hear an them blasting away. -- an

Anthem blasting away. We know Christine Ohuruogu is getting three

medals tomorrow. That shows where the sport is learning from its

mistakes of the past and trying to rectify the wrongs. Also, obviously

going forwards, the athletes are able, from this championships

forward, to make a commitment to a clean sport, aren't they? I think

from all sides there. It is really important that those medal

reallocations happen and they happen in a packed stadium. And that those

athletes get the chance to see, because remember the majority of

athletes are clean athletes, working very, very hard. What they want, and

the number one role, really of the Governing body, is to look after

their rights and enable them to compete on a fair and level playing

field. We cannot guarantee that people will not try and cheat the

system, but we can catch as many as possible and we can improve it and

it is giving them the moments they lost. And of course we always want

your input. Get in touch via Facebook, on twitter, #bbcathletics,

if you will. Communicate with us over the next hour or so. This is

what's coming up for you. We catch up with Usain Bolt, the

greatest of all time. He will run in a major championship for the last

time. Looking to make her mark on the

world's stage is Laura Muir. She's doubling up in the 1500 and 5,000

metres. Paula met up with her in Monaco. Laura will look for podium

places. We look at the white, red and blues best chances. Home medal

though won't be easy. That is because the very best in the world

are here. We shine the spotlight on some of those standout global stars.

As well as Usain Bolt, it is also Mo Farah's last global championships on

the track. He tells us how he's feeling as he aims for another big

race douvenlt Well, as we have said, Usain Bolt

will be signing off on the track here in a major championship for the

last time, aiming to add to his considerable haul of golds. He's in

town and ready to bid us all farewell.

I didn't know I was going to be a world record-holder growing up. I

didn't know that I would be a three-time Olympic champion. No

idea. Usain Bolt gets it! What I say to people entering sports, you have

to put your mind to it and work towards it. He has no equal. No way

to explain what I've done throughout my years. I am really proud of

myself. What I want you to do is pick one

performance that in your mind is the best performance you've ever done.

For me, it would definite I will be Beijing. The first one, actually.

200 metres. That was my dream. That was my main dream growing up. I

always wanted to become a 200-metre Olympic champion. When I broke the

world record, I didn't know I had. I was like... ! I was, there was no

planned celebration in my head. So I was just, I didn't know what to do

because I was so happy. You said at the beginning of every

season you worry and you ask yourself, am I still fast? Today,

are you? Yes. Without a doubt. How confident are you that you are in

that kind of shape right now? Come on! You guys know if I show up at a

championship I am confident to go. Do you fear for the future of

athletics? I feel it's going the right direction. I think we made

changes and I think sport hit rock bottom last season, so now, a couple

of seasons ago, now it is moving forward. I think it's going the

right direction. If they keep it up it will die and they won't have a

job. Hopefully they will understand and help let the sport move forward.

You wake up Sunday, 100 metres is done and dusted what will your

legacy be then? Usain Bolt has retired, unbeatable over individual

events. For me, that will be the headline, hopefully. That will be

the biggest headline. I unbeatable, unstoppable.

He needs to be unbeatable and unstoppable one more time in a major

championship here in London. The legend and legacy, Michael Johnson,

that is determined, isn't it? It is so difficult to imagine the sport

without him. He's given us so much joy and wonderful moments. He's such

an incredible character. I have spent so much time this week trying

to imagine that and genuinely can't. He brings out the goose bumps,

doesn't he? He does. He's been fantastic for the sport. He's been

amazing. He's one of those special athletes that come along in sport.

Not just in athletics, every, you know, every couple of decades or so.

And we just were lucky this time that athletics and athletics we got

one of them and it was Bolt. He's one of those that makes the sport

scientist and biochemist re-think what we thought was possible from

humans and performance. He's sort of redefined the sprinter in terms of,

you know, how you approach the sport, and he's able to do something

that no-one else can do. I mean, he can come out here just as he's going

to do this week, without a lot of races under his belt. Not in the

best of shape and still pull out victories. On the big stage, when it

counts, against the best in the world. That speaks of his

consistency, his talent, his level of natural ability and his

confidence in himself. Let's go back to Rio, a year ago, and that in

itself, and if anybody this week saw I Am Bolt and a following of him two

years before Rio, that seemed to be a struggle to get himself to the

line, in terms of his body, motivation. That was a final that he

really had to push himself through. He did. I mean this was a tough

final. There's Justin Gatlin over there. A huge gap. He is used to

that. Usain Bolt is confident in his ability. He gets better and better

with each round. He knows that all I have got to do, no matter what the

struggles are through the year, in terms of injury, all I've got to do

is get to the starting line. Here he is in Monaco, a few weeks ago. One

of his only races this year. He looks laboured. Not that usual burst

in pulling away from the field that we normally see. We don't see that

here. That would have given him confidence, that hey, so long as I

can get to the starting line, healthy, relatively healthy, I can

beat anyone else in the world. And that is the confidence that he has.

Now, the other guys will have something to say about it. You see

them close to him. They are not used to being in this position. You know,

and they will take some confidence from that. They will want to be the

one to hand him a loss on his way out. They see that there is a little

bit of a cink in the armoury at this point. He comes into this

championships more vulnerable than any previous championship based on

his time this year. One ten second and it's only 9.95. At the same

time, you know, the field isn't very good this year. People aren't

running as fast as they have in the past. You see Justin Gatlin not

running as fast as he has. Only 9.95 this year. So, you know, it's still

going to be, I think it will be the same thing that we have seen in the

past. He comes in, he gets better and better and better with each

round. Still, there'll be some questions to the rounds. We will see

some people close to him. See some run impressive times in other heats.

When it gets to the final I challenge anyone to bet against him,

no matter what they see in the rounds. In the year building up we

thought perhaps De Grasse may challenge him. He has announced

today he's not running, which is a great shame for athletics fans.

Chijindu Ujah, who is Great Britain's greatest chance, said some

interesting things about the race in Monaco, the fact that it was the

Usain Bolt Show out there. Those athletes will have to deal with that

here as well. It is important to know that CJ Ujah's comments were

not disrespect to Bolt. He felt that the field was disrespected by the

promoter in Monaco, making it such a show about Usain Bolt, when they are

out there to run a race. I thought he had a great perspective on it and

his coach said, hey, you are going to have to put with that in London.

It is what it is. You are running in an area where the greatest of all

time is out there and people come to see him.

Focus on what's going on in your lane. Stick with that. Do the best

you can. And it may just happen for you.

Probably won't. And Ujah and the rest of the field

as well have to get through the rounds. That is what a major

championship is different to the diamond lead and we have seen Ujah

have a fantastic... Here he is in Rome, with his best time in the

season. He's coming on at the right time. He's been fairly consistent.

He needs a better start. He absolutely should not focus on Bolt.

He should focus on his own race, Andre De Grasse, an opportunity for

people like CJ Ujah. He's run some championships before. This could be

the opportunity for him to become a medallist and one of those

contenders going forward. He's been training in the States. He's got a

great coach, great training atmosphere. And he's in there. He's

won three gold in Diamond Leagues this year here's the top ten for the

year. Coleman has run sub ten seconds six

times this year. He's had a long season. He's taken time off.

You think Simbine could be the man to watch. Very consistent this year.

But Justin Gatlin has beat him this year, but he has run consistently.

It is going to be interesting. We haven't talked about Justin Gatlin.

He has won 9.95 this year and he has major experience. It's really open

and exciting. I know you're smiling because you think it is Bolt's to

lose, but it does feel like an exciting 100m field in the sense

that it is not necessarily a two horse race. Because there are some

unknowns that we have not seen before. Bolt is coming in more

vulnerable than he has been before. Some of the contenders may be

thinking there is their last opportunity. We will see if there is

a new king. This is where it will be run, of course, as they cross this

line. But so much more goes on in the athletes' heads as they are

warming up on the warm-up track, and that is where you find one of the

newer faces of our team, Ore Oduba, with one of the more familiar faces.

It is going to be a pleasure being part of the coverage for the next

ten days, not only because we have a World Championships in London, but

also because I am going to be spending quite a bit of my time with

this fabulous gentleman to my left, Colin Jackson. A pleasure, served.

So, it is the day before the championships get under way, but

those moments before the race gets under way, it's a really difficult

time for some, including yourself in the past? I didn't enjoy it too

much. I really hated it. I will be honest. It is because you're going

to be tested. You spend all the season running well, great

preparation. But when you get into the major stadium, that is when the

world's eyes are on you and you realise all the pressure is on.

You're expected to win a medal. So this bit was the awful bit, knowing

what was waiting. And in the early part of the championships, it's busy

here. It is like Oxford Street on Christmas Eve. It is lovely and, at

this moment, but there are so many athletes doing their individual

warm-ups, trying to find a bit of place on this track so that they can

get ready for their performance. It can be difficult and you always have

to remember that this is just the early rounds. If I can just get one,

I will be all right. This is the behind the scenes action that not

many get to see. What goes on in these big marquees? You can see the

letters. You can see the Irish one, and Saudi Arabia and South Africa.

Does are where the massage tents are. So if you go inside, that is

where you find the physios. We could have headed down for a massage!

Unfortunately, we are going to hit the track now and have a race. If

you want to put a bet on, he wins. Well, one man who knows how to boss

a warm-up track through all these major championships where he has

picked up so many golds is Mo Farah. We will be arguably talking about

Britain's greatest ever athlete Chalkley. But another

middle-distance runner who is also doubling up here is Laura Muir,

running in the 1500 and 5000m. She is certainly in the mix for a medal.

We will find out about her chances with Paula, who also caught up with

her in Monaco earlier in the season. Laura Muir, stretches away and comes

to win the gold medal for Great Britain! European indoor champion

and a new championship record. A new British record. Laura, things are

picking up and you are coming in off an amazing indoor season where you

did that double. She's now got two gold medals! She's the champion

again. Just contrast that, because I remember the Laura Muir that walked

out so distraught from the world indoors in 2014, and how might you

have mature than take on those huge leaps forward. You must feel in a

good place going into London. At this stage in my career, I have a

lot of championships underneath my belt and I think in 2013, I was in

good physical shape but I had to catch up with the mental side of

dealing with the pressure. Having gone through that has put me in good

stead and I feel relaxed. Coming to the championships, you missed a bit

of training with a foot injury, which are a lot of distance runners

pick up at different points in their career. Is it sometimes a good thing

to hold you back a bit? Yeah, I think it was not until I had been in

the pool for a couple of weeks, it is not until something is taken away

from you that you appreciate how much you love your sport. It can

give you a fresh mindset going back into it. I had a take to matter in

the middle of July, and it is going well. We know you are in great shape

and can cope with the physical impact of doing the double, but

mentally, is there a way you go about it? Do you think about one

event and then move onto the second one? Yeah, for me it is round by

round. I will not even think about the final until I get there. I

concentrate on the hit and the semis. And the 1500m, is that the

one you have the stronger chance in or are you thinking they are equal?

I don't know. I'm inexperienced in the 5K, but I still think I can have

good shot at it. And the competition is very strong just now. The girls

are running fast. In the top three, you have Hassan and Kipyegon. And

Laura Muir, with strong home support. That is a big advantage.

Can you enjoy some of that? I hope so. The atmosphere in there is

always brilliant. The crowds there have been the best. It is one of my

career highlights. Laura Muir will be clock watching all the way down

here. Laura Muir, the new British record. Kelly Holmes has been

obliterated! I hate running against former athletes, because they always

pull it out of the bag on the day. We have loved seeing Laura Muir over

the last year or so really step up. She has been smashing personal bests

and smashing long held records. But it's important to iterate that this

is one of the races of the championship. The 1500m is loaded

with talent. It's going to be very tough to fight for a medal. It will

be exciting for us to watch. It's almost going to be one of the races

of the championships. You got Faith Kipyegon, Hassan, Genzebe Dibaba,

Laura Muir, Jenny Simpson. There are so many, I have probably missed

somebody. That is how loaded it is. It is a completely different Laura

Muir that we are seeing coming into the championships, but it is a

different kettle of fish to what we were watching during the winter in

Belgrade, where she was able to double up and make it look easy. It

will not be easy here, and she will be focusing on one race at a time

not making mistakes. She said not even focusing on one race, but the

whole championship, not even thinking beyond each heat. So will

it come down to who races the smartest? I think so, and who is

absolutely right. Laura has had a few injury problems this year. She

isn't coming into its 100%. She is feeling her way into it. She ran

well here in the Anniversary Games, and she ran a personal best in the

3000m in Monaco, but not as fast as she would have liked to have done.

But hopefully, she has time to work into it through the heats. She will

have learned from so many races. Last year in Rio, it is hard to say

she did anything wrong. She raced for the gold. But she got into a bit

of a contest with Kipyegon in the semifinals and in the final, she

went hard against Genzebe Dibaba and attacked. It was just a bit too

quick and cheap paper that in the closing stages. At the time, we

talked about whether it was the right tactic and what else she could

have done. Did she know how to raise any other way and with hindsight,

would you still say that she did what she felt was the best way for

her to get a medal? Yeah, and we will still see her race like that,

because that is the way she raced in Paris when she went out after the

disciplined of Rio, and really stand her authority on that by running her

race and running hard. It was just a tiny bit too fast in that lap in

Rio. But to judge that when you are caught up in the racing is really

hard, so I would not criticise her for how she raced in Rio. That is

how she runs. But I think she learned from that not to get into

the contest. It is important that she races how she is naturally best,

and that helps her confidence. That is a site we would love to see in

London, Laura Muir crossing the line first, raising her hands with joy,

because she responds to a home crowd. And if she does, she will

join a very elite band of brothers and sisters who have topped the

podium in World Championship since they began in 1983. So we decided to

put them all together in one great big montage for you and believe me,

it is a montage. Run the tape. Cram wins the World Championship!

Steve Cram, world champion. Daley Thompson. He's clear! I always like

to improve. That is a very big throw, about 76.5m. Fatima Whitbread

is the world champion. Liz McColgan, a mother in the last few months, but

this has been a display of confidence, courage and self-belief.

For me, that was the greatest run in the history of British distance

running. Akabusi has a go, and Akabusi has made it! Akabusi, gold

for Britain. Jackson at the first hurdle. Jackson

is going away! Jackson takes it, and I make that a new world record for

Colin Jackson. Here is Jonathan in the first round. Oh, it's massive!

My goodness, that is fantastic. 18.16m, a world record. Jonathan

Edwards of Great Britain. It's a tough act to follow, but he's done

it. There is going to be a big smile on that face any minute now.

Jonathan Edwards has made history again. And Colin Jackson is the

champion of the world! Jonathan Edwards, the world record-holder,

with one of the longest jumps in history. Jonathan Edwards is the

world champion. This is the moment that Paula Radcliffe has waited so

long for. It's going to be a gold medal the Great Britain. Paula

Radcliffe becomes the world champion at last. Christine Ohuruogu coming.

Can it be a British athlete? Christine Ohuruogu is going to get

there. Christine Ohuruogu wins the Gold! She is the world champion Matt

a sensational story. You are the world champion, Christine Ohuruogu.

Come on. Oh, yes! Oh, yes! That could be the biggest jump of

Phillips Idowu's career. Great Britain has found another great

star. The girl from the city of steel, hunting for gold, and she's

done it. Here is a chance to seize the moment. Green wins, but what a

performance from Mo Farah! This Mo Farah is going to get there! She

might just make it! She never gives up. I feel like I'm in a dream. Mo

Farah is sprinting from gold. He's running for greatness, Mo Farah is

going to get there again! Farah wins it! Another incredible performance

from Mo Farah. He's looking to extend his lead.

That is a huge jump. Rutherford takes gold.

Unbelievable! They have thrown everything at him! It is not hard

enough. Mo Farah is best. He's the world champion again. And now she

comes back to win the 800 metres, Jessica Ennis-Hill is back on top of

the world. They've got nothing on him. Mo Farah

streaking away. It's a fantastic... To be able to continue and be in the

same category as is amazing. I told you it was a long montage.

What a montage. A great piece of TV. I could watch it all day long. We

hope to get many more special moments in the stadium. We have

relocated here to our studio. You will see a lot of this over the next

ten days and plenty of this our TV, where Michael Johnson will be doing

his stuff. He's busy, hard at it at the moment. That looks good,

Michael. Carry on! He's always doing his homework up here. We have

invested in some new cushions. Some familiar faces on those as well. We

might auction them for charity or throw them over the edge. It is rare

you boys get inside. Enjoy your moment up here. We will chat to you

about plenty of performances we have to look forward to, British and

international. Inspired by some of those golden moments there. Phil

Jones has been looking at the best of British prospects for a medal

here in London. Picture perfect, nailed on British

medals, look no further. It could be gold and gold again for marvellous

Mo. We have heard of Laura Muir's double. Brave and bold strokes. Run

under ten seconds and Chijindu Ujah, a Diamond League contender, could

find himself in the 100 metres frame, chasing the retiring, but

never shy Usain Bolt. He has been unbeaten, but you know, you cannot

write these things before it has happened. I will go on the line and

we've all got a chance. We start from zero.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson's new best has inspired belief in a heptathlon

placing. For Andrew Pozzi belief has never

been the issue. Arriving at a major with his body in tact. If he's fit

and firing, he'll be in the mix. I am looking forward to standing on

the line and hearing a supportive crowd. That is something that will

certainly give me a lot of energy. I am looking forward to that.

Recent British form suggests her near missed days in outdoor majors

could be over. Getting the baton round, avoiding

disqualification, now that is a fine art. If GB's relay teams do it

successful, all four can contend. In the women's relay that could mean

more medal success for Asher-Smith, just months after breaking her foot.

I am happy to be here. There was a point earlier in the year where I

thought, oh, I have to learn to walk again, never mind qualifying for

London 2017. Others plan to jump far, run long. Sophie Hitchon, eager

to replicate the final flourish. The captain serves to inspire them all,

with words and deeds. It is more special knows my fellow

team-mates have voted me to be it. It is lovely being here and people

coming up to me saying, I am really glad you are the team captain. It

means so much to me. Creating a team which hopes to create a masterpiece

on a London canvass. Will they create artistry in this

stadium? I have to talk to you about the comments reported today in the

press about your gripes with the British athletics over the last few

years and decisions made, what is your problem? It is more about

opinion. I was asked by a journalist that the opinion has been made by Ed

That it's in a better place. He is the chairman of British athletics.

If you look at his ten years we've had ?72 million from the lottery. If

you look at the championships here, 50% of the men's field events don't

have representedives in it. That is the long jump, the shot put and

javelin. We have a great history in javelin. A lot is down to the lack

of investment in coaching, coaches. I don't think they are coached well

and we see the number of athletes moving abroad for better coaches.

They would say for coaches are being trained and athletes funded, is

their counter argument? You are right, athletes are being funded,

but are the coaches funded? . I think the sad answer is, no they are

not. It is a story which has been riding for years. Even when I was

competing it with us the same problem. Yes, there's been more

investment into the sport. Correct. However, you know, as well as I do,

it is about firstly about the athletes. To kind of, I think as

chairman it is not his responsibility. We know the problems

are far and reaching. It starts from grass routeds. There is a big

disconnect between grass roots and elite. Until the conversations are

brought to how you can bring athletes from a young age through

the sport, I think that's... That's the challenge. The infrastructure is

volunteers. The whole sport from the grass roots up is based around

thousands of coaches who volunteer time free of charge. When you get to

the top level, you know, when does it change? When does it become... We

want the time of the experts. It should be rewarded. It is a great

discussion to be had. All I would say, from this point of view is, the

chairman, the buck stops with the chairman, the Governing body is

about the sport from grass roots to the elite end. There's no focus on

this. We have got a great championships here and that is to be

commended. Let's look at the sport top to bottom. One of the athletes

we hope will shine is Katarina Johnson-Thompson has proved abroad

to further her progress in the sport. She's had a brilliant year.

She's furthered her PB. Interesting comments she made, she did she

didn't realise everybody else in the world would turn up and make it a

tougher competition of all time. The event is in great nick, isn't it? It

is. Moving on, I think people will wonder where will the next talent

come from. Kat has set PBs. She's in a transition, making that decision

to train in France wasn't easy. But she's had to work on so many

different areas of her technique, her strength and conditioning. She

jumped indoors, once. But looking forward. I think it was really good

for her. She needed that to bolster her confidence and to be

injury-free. It is important that she takes a real strugglehold on the

competition from the get-go. We know her long jumps, hurdles and 200 are

the events. It is the throws where she's not been up there with the

leaders and pointeds. I read comments saying there's no point me

trying to think I can spend months and months on those and get an extra

half a metre in the javelin. I will try and get better at the events I

am good at. Should that be commended? She looks content. She

looks happier. Maybe coming to terms with the event she's not a thrower,

but it is part of her event. Experts next to me in multi-eventing. As a

thrower it is awkward to say, I have to say. She has to cope with it. It

is two of oh the seven events, very, very weak. How she deals with those.

I want to see her throw caution to the wind and trust her abilities. I

think she can do that when she's happy and content. In terms of

throwing ability, Sophie Hitchon shows us with the Bronze Medal in

the hammer, she's not just obviously achieved there, but enormous

potential. Her coach said this is not all it's about. This is a

four-year cycle and for her, the bronze but don't guys think this

will be a given that she'll get a meed until this World Championships

-- a medal in this World Championships. Do you agree? Sophie

Hitchon is the only British junior who year on year has produced a

personal best every year she's competed. She's based in California,

doing really well. I would say that is dumbing it down a little bit.

She's a competitor. This environment will suit her. She'll be, hopefully,

fingers crossed, so long as she gets through the qualifying, she's in the

mix. That was my favourite moment of the Rio Olympics. A British record

for Sophie. She can do it when the pressure's on. On home soil, I am

really optimistic. It she's the most outright favourite of all events

across the 19 disciplines at the World Championships. That may be a

given. Another possibly, a silver, but she will take a medal here.

Sophie Hitchon, really optimistic. As would Holly Bradshaw. She set a

new PB, looking fantastic. There's inconsistency because they are not

achieving that in a Diamond League. Where will she feel her chances are?

She's got to be confident. You hit the nail on the head about

inconsistencies being the biggest problems for her. She knows how to

jump high. She's up amongst it. The sport has not, that event has not

moved en masse sievely. If she can get -- modded en masse sievely. If

she doesn't put too much fres pressure on herself. She can nail

that, she's in the mix. Steve, we have a very mouth-watering prospect

- the German duo. Three Germans in fact. Vetter and Rohler. Thomas

Rohler, the Olympic champion, through 93 metres. The second

longest throw ever early earlier in the season. Only to see his

team-mate throw 94 metres. They are heady distances. 10 metres beyond

what the Olympic was won in this stadium. It is going to go possibly

over 90 metres. It will be a real great competition. As many of the

field events are. And the high jump. One lady out there above everybody

else, Lesitskene, who had 17 months not competing because she's

competing under a neutral flag here because of the systematic doping

issues and the ban that happened to Russia. She's here as the leading

jumper in the world. Could it go here in London? That's a big ask. A

big ask. You know, she's one athlete that has been really consistent. If

anyone will do it, it will be her. The crowd will get behind her as

they have all the athletes. We are looking forward to so many brilliant

contests. Thank you for the moment. I will see what Michael's homework

has been up to. Your first opportunity to let yourself lose on

the screen. The analysis screen, Michael. We start with Wayde van

Niekerk. He took your record in Rio and has been improving the last year

and he gets here attempting that double. You know all about the

challenges that poses. Is he going to be able to handle that amount of

races in a short period of time? That will be a very interesting

prospect. He has an opportunity here to complete the 200, 400-metre

double. Only three rounds for each race. It was four when I was

running. It was harder when you did it. You said it. I didn't say it!

He's got the 200-metre preliminaries and the rest day before he gets to

the 400-metre final. Let's look at what he does here and what makes him

so great. He had a fantastic season last year. He's off to a cracking

start this year. PB in the 100 metres. Personal best in 200 metres.

19.84. And a world best in the 300. How does he do it? He's got

incredible speed. At this point of the race, he can run the first 200

metres faster than all the rest of these guys. That is why he's able

to. He's making up the stag on the guy on the outside of him. He knows

he's got this weapon. What makes him special is he doesn't have the sort

of strength we have seen in 400-metre runners in the past. He's

not very tall. He doesn't have a long stride. What he has is the

ability, right here, 300 metres to go in the race. Let's look at him as

he comes down the home stretch. He can hold the speed much longer than

anyone else. There's no change in what we saw in

the first 200 metres as to what we see in the second 200 metres.

Technically he's not that great, a little bit of rocking back and

forth. . He has the ability to hold the speed longer than anyone else.

He has the opportunity here, because the 200m is very weak. No one can

run with him in the 400m, in my opinion. We have been talking about

the end of Usain Bolt's legacy. A few Jamaican athletes have been in

his shadow. If Elaine Thompson one of those who has not had the credit

he deserves? I think Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce hasn't had the credit

she deserves. But Elaine Thompson took the title from her last year.

Let's look at her here. She is at 10.70 already, not far off her

personal best. She is third from your right, and have a power and

speed somewhat like Usain Bolt, able to pull away from the field.

Confidence is what she has, and that shows in this race at the

Anniversary Games. Not a great start here, but still able to win. So she

is one of those unique athletes over 100m who can win it from anywhere,

from behind, from front. She is not Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce with the

bullets start out of the blocks. She usually gets a decent start, but not

the greatest. But regardless, she has the power and speed. But her

most unique weapon is her confidence. She can be patient when

she is not winning halfway through and still catch up. I don't know if

you have this anecdotally dashed back if you heard this anecdotally

in her flat. She still ran 10.8, come on. We will see her in action

over the next ten days on that track, which is empty at the moment.

We saw Ore and Colin earlier out there on the warm-up track, telling

us about the psychology and preparation that goes on. I think

they are using their all access pass to very good use. This time

tomorrow, we will not have this kind of access, so Colin and I are

enjoying a moment on the track. This is the height of the hurdle that you

did, and which the elite men are jumping. My belt isn't even that

high. That is crazy high. Let's take a walk, Colin. This is obviously

where the business will be happening. In London, we saw some

records tumble. It is famously quite a fast track. Yes, we have already

seen the women's 100m world record being one on this track. When

athletes go on tracks and they prepare, they look at other

athletes' performances and if they see them running fast, they get that

extra boost where you are thinking, they are doing it, so I can. And

they start to believe the track is fast. But I believe it is the

athlete who is fast. That tends to be the way. Do you think we will see

records tumbling? Is there anyone to keep an eye out for? We should

certainly look at Kenny. She's going to have good competition. Because

she knows this track so well, she will feel like she can improve her

personal best. It is going to be exciting. I am visualising crossing

this finishing line. It is never going to happen. You can't dip me.

No. Well, down there on that track in just over 24 hours' time, Mo

Farah will be warming up, getting ready to go for his fifth global

double in the 5,000 and 10,000 metres. He has been getting himself

into great shape, as he always does in France, preparing for the

championships. Darren Campbell went to find out how he is feeling.

Sir no, when you look back, does it feel crazy? It feels mad. It is hard

to think that when you are so young, you don't imagine yourself at that

level and to have won what I won has been incredible. In your early

years, was it difficult to think that you could get up there with the

best in the world? When I was a kid, I remember watching the Olympics,

seeing the 10,000 metres was incredible, how it came down to the

last two metres. From that point, I told myself, I want to become an

Olympic champion. It was something I would dream of. I went to Daegu.

That was my first senior World Championships and where I got my

first silver medal in the 10,000 metres. I narrowly got beaten, but

the better man won on the day. For me, it was all about experience and

learning from that race and understanding, I ain't going to make

that mistake again. World domination for Farah! Since then, it has been

double, double, double. To be able to maintain that level is difficult,

because when you are up there, you have a target on your back and every

year, people are throwing things that you left, right and centre. You

have is to just be smart in how you respond and what you do and knowing

what counts. It's been hard over the years. They succumb to the

inevitable, bow to his superiority! Mo Farah wins the gold! I'm excited

to be competing in my last major championship on the track in London.

It will be nice to finish and I hide. Why not do it where it all

started in London, where I became a limping champion? That was what

changed me as an athlete. When you come back years later to the World

Championships, you are like, I am going to end it at that track. Mo

Farah, who always lights up the crowds wherever he goes and races

with such huge enthusiasm for the sport. He's been an incredible

ambassador. Steve Cram has joined Michael here on the server. I have a

cushion here for you, Steve. And it is in colour. You know how

passionate he is about the sport and how he has managed to maintain his

fitness and get to these championships in shape to win for so

many years, which in itself is a phenomenon. It is. That is where he

has a lot of parallels with Bolt. The difference between him and Bolt

is that he has other events where he has been beaten, like indoors and

the odd track race. But whenever you come to major championships, since

2011 he has been unbeatable, meaning no one has found a way to beat him

with the tactics he can employ. He can employ those tactics because he

gets himself right for the games. He can run a sub one half marathon.

Like Bolt, he's not quite as good as he was, but the opposition isn't as

good as either. So he comes, again, with us expecting him to win. But

there is with a butt. I don't want to go into the Butts, because we

want to be positive about Mo, but it could be hard for him. But my big

but is that he will win! But maybe not as comfortably as before? I

think he will try to control it in exactly the same way. Mo has never

won by more than six tenths of a second. That is not much in 10,000

metres. So he never gives us much to enjoy in the last 200m. So it will

be that tight again, I'm sure. Each of the last three major 10,000

races, he has won slightly slower in the last lap. So if you are the

opposition, there are things to look at to think about. But if I am

thinking who could run a 2.25 last 1000m, could one of them? I doubt

it. They have failed to do that for the last ten years or so. But what

has been impressive about him is the parallel with Bolt, how he has kept

himself in incredible peak physical condition. He seems to have skated

around injuries. And that is one of the things we haven't talked about

much. There are some people who are not here who are great champions. If

you look at people like Mo Farah and Usain Bolt, not only do they show up

and produce at the right time when it counts, but they are able to keep

their bodies together. Mo has a fantastic team around him of experts

that help him keep himself healthy. We have seen how committed he is to

his craft. It is an incredible sacrifice. That is what allows an

athlete like Mo to get to these championships healthy. He puts in a

lot of mileage and a tonne of work, which takes its toll. But he gets

here healthy because of the commitment. Here is an interesting

one. That commitment involves rest. The thing about Bolt and Mo Farah,

people might be surprised at how at times of the year, how low-level

their training is to enable them to build up to the major championships

again. We know that with Mo. That is a discipline in itself. That is a

confidence thing. I can take time to rest and bring my training down to a

level and then come back. If people go at it hard all the time, you will

get a few years, but you will fall apart at some point. Those two have

kept their longevity partly by resting as well. And to manage the

other things, the expectations that come from being the champions that

they are. You saw him today at the track, tweeting and enjoying his

sport and savouring this moment. The first of those moments will be

tomorrow night at 9.20, and we will cover every step. I hope Steve will

begin us another iconic line. I just hope Brendan doesn't cry. I tried to

get him to cry in that documentary. Some big news came out of Russia

today. It is the first time we have seen anything of this kind of tone

coming from the rat athletics Federation, an apology from the

president of the Federation -- from the Russian athletics Federation.

That is a positive statement, Michael. It is a positive sign. It

is not quite an admission which is what we have been looking for. But

it is the first time they have apologised and even taken any sort

of responsibility. And that is a positive sign. But this fight is

going to be long and tough and we as athletics fans and the Federation

have to know that it is going to be a long fight and it is not going to

happen at once. It is just another reminder of how important these

championships are to restore confidence. Absolutely. We want it

to be a positive championships. London was fabulous. We know about

all the issues still hanging, but we can fight that as best we can. Let's

hope we can focus on the athletics here, because it will be great. I

hope you can have had your appetite whetted. I can't wait for things to

start. Join us tomorrow at six o'clock on BBC Two at the opening

ceremony which will be on BBC One. At ten p:m., we switch back to BBC

Two. All the coverage available on the BBC Sport website and the

listing supplements. It is certainly more than just Bolt and Mo Farah,

but they are a huge part of what will be an incredible ten days.

# We've come a long, long way together.

# Through the hard times and the good.

# I have to celebrate you, baby. # I have to praise you like I

sheared. -- should.

# We've come a long, long way together.

# Through the hard times and the good.

# I have to celebrate you, baby. # I have to praise you like I

should. Your baby has been loved

by me very much. You have a serious problem

with identification.