Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia in action in the Pole Vault qualifications (Getty Images)

Osaka, Japan - The highlight of the fourth day of the championships should be the final of the women’s 800 metres.

Wide-open women's 800m

It’s a brilliant field, every one “fire-hardened” by two very competitive rounds. Two of the semifinal winners, Janeth Kipkoskei of Kenya and Svetlana Usovich of Belarus, led from gun to tape, while the third, Russia’s Svetlana Klyuka, won with a stretch run. The “others” include three-time World champion (and 2000 Olympic champion) Maria Mutola (MOZ), still running strong at age 34; Moroccan Hasna Benhassi, silver medallist in the 2004 Olympics and 2005 Worlds; fast-finishing European champion Olga Kotlyarova (RUS); 7-time Spanish 800 champion Mayte Martinez; and 2000 Olympic fourth-placer Brigita Langerholc of Slovenia. This race may well come down to the final step.

Something 'special' from Isinbayeva?

Another ‘super’ highlight is the women’s Pole Vault, which should be as one-sided a contest for the gold medal as the 800 is wide-open.

The reason is Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS), whose World record of 5.01m, set in winning the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki, still stands. When you see her jump, you are seeing one of the all-time greats of athletics. Her closest pursuers, at 4.88m, are both here – fellow-Russian Svetlana Feofanova and American Jenn Stuczynski, and they will jump their best. But with Isinbayeva promising ‘something special’ for Osaka, they, like the rest of us, may turn out to be watching history made.

Kenyan show expected in the men's Steeplechase

In the men’s 3000m Steeplechase final, you start with three Kenyans, because at the end it’s quite possible you may see Kenyans finishing 1-2-3. In fact, since 1991, Kenyan-born athletes have won 18 of the 24 World Championships medals in this event. With two-time winner Saif Saaeed Shaheen of Qatar not entered here, 2005 second and third placers Ezekiel Kemboi and Brimin Kipruto of Kenya hope to move up to 1-2, and Cross Country ace Richard Matelong is the third Kenyan entrant. All have run under 8:06, and only one other starter has – Mustafa Mohamed of Sweden. Others under 8:10 include the Moroccan trio of Hamid Ezzine, Abelkader Hachlaf and Brahim Taleb, and Bouabdellah Tahri of France. Kemboi, of course, was also the 2004 Olympic gold medalist.

Threepeat for Sanchez in 400m Hurdles?

The men’s 400m Hurdles lost some of its lustre when 2005 World champion Bershawn Jackson crashed the 10th hurdle of his semifinal and did not advance. But two-time champion Felix Sanchez (2001, 2003 – and also 2004 Olympic champion) is back in form, and he has plenty of competition. Especially dangerous are Americans James Carter and Kerron Clement, who lead the world list this year. But every one of the finalists is in the medal hunt.

Alekna v. Kanter in the discus

The men’s Discus final will once again put the two best throwers in the world against each other – 2003 and 2005 world champion and 2004 Olympic champion Virgilijus Alekna of Lithuania and challenger Gerd Kanter of Estonia, the 2005 World silver medallist. These two are the only throwers past 70m this year (in fact, past 69m), and yet each required all three throws to surpass the automatic qualifying mark of 64.50m. Still, for these two not to place 1-2 (or 2-1) would be a major upset. Of course, that’s why we hold championships, isn’t it?

Can the Russian sweep the women's Long Jump?

The final final, the women’s Long Jump, is expected to be a Russian affair. That may sound like a James Bond movie title, but in fact Russian women hold the top three places: Lyudmila Kolchanova, 7.21m, Tatyana Lebedyeva, 7.15, and Irina Simaginqa, 7.11. The only other women over 7 metres this year is Portugal’s Nadia Gomes, at 7.01.  The surprise 2005 winner in Helsinki, Tianna Madison (USA), was the 12th and final qualifier for the final.

There will also be semi-finals in the women’s 100m and 400m hurdles, the first two rounds of the men’s 200 (Tyson Gay again), and the first round of the men’s 400, which gives us a look at Jeremy Wariner.