2018 World Championships Preview--WOMEN

No need to repeat all of the garbage (Though I LOVE the BAND named Garbage!!  LOL) I threw at you in my Men's Preview!
But here's just a bit of it---
I will list the events in order of the schedule, including all the Heats & Semi's, as well as each individual event of the Multi, but will give the MEET Record (If it's also the World Record, I'll signify that!) only at each Final!
I will leave a space between the Morning & Evening Sessions!
All the rest---refer to my Men's Preview, please!
But before I begin, here's my list of significant Names MIA in Birmingham!!
400 (Sydney McLaughlin and Lynna Irby), 1500 (Jenny Simpson), TJ (Caterine Ibarguen), PV (Jenn Suhr), SP (Valerie Adams, Maggie Ewen)

Thursday, March 1st

High Jump  (6-8.75)
As with the Men, there is ONE name that defines this event!
Mariya Lasitskene (nee Kuchina) of Russia!!
Undefeated for a gazillion or so meets, she is so dominant that I dare NOT bet against her taking down this Meet Record!
Give that one 80-20 odds!
The WORLD Record is one inch higher, but give that one just 20-80 odds!
Because of the sheer LACK of depth, the organizers made a BIG mistake in not giving the OTHER Vertical Star billing on Opening Night--just as Portland did in 2016!
That said, every Winning Streak ends SOMEtime!
(Ask Edwin Moses, Valerie Adams, or Sandra Perkovic!)
With the best chance for THE Upset of the Meet, I'd suggest Vashti Cunningham!!
She's been on the brink of a breakthrough to the 2.00 plateau for awhile now, and she DID get the Gold in Portland--at Age 18!!
Now 20, she might be ready to add that inch to her PR!
Yuliya Levchenko is another to watch, but beyond that trio, there's not much!
Lavern Spencer, Inika McPherson, Morgan Lake, and Alessia Trost are other "names"!

3000 (8:33.9)
This COULD be the greatest race of the meet (at least on the Women's side!)---or the most BORING!!
EVERY name I'm about to mention has the creds to DEMOLISH the Meet Record---and even win!!
Yes, I said EVERY name!!
And that COULD mean a Shelby Houlihan Gold!!
You have the Scot Laura Muir--maybe the most beloved UK runner in years--who is also a front-running type!
Others of that ilk are Konstanze Klosterhalfen, Helen Obiri, and the inimitable Genzebe Dibaba!!
Dibaba just ran 8:31.23--and was disappointed!!
But will all this firepower be extinguished by an opening 400 of 75 seconds??
Or will we see a time TEN SECONDS faster at the 400 post??
Actually, a kicker's race (the MoBot Special) would be most beneficial for Houlihan!
But PLEASE, don't do that, Ladies!!
Fantu Worku, Sifan Hassan, and Dawit Seyaum are others to watch!
Odds are 90-10!!

Friday, March 2nd

Pentathlon 60H
60 Heats
Pentathlon HJ
400 Heats
Pentathlon SP

Pentathlon LJ (If KJT opens good, THIS event will be crucial to a WR chase!!)
60H Heats
60 Semi's
1500 Heats

Shot Put  (70-3.75)
Toss that MR out the window---from the 200th floor!!
LESS than ZERO odds!!
With Valerie Adams and Maggie Ewen not here, this is an open event--and for all intents, meaningless!!
Best "shots" (Pun intended!!) go to Anita Marton, Danielle Thomas-Dodd, and Dani Hill (nee Bunch)!
Not exactly household names!!
Watch for China's Lijiao Gong to surprise--except she hasn't competed INdoors this year!!

Pentathlon  (WR & MR  5013)
The Pent's 800 goes off here!
While KJT (aka Katarina Johnson-Thompson) is still KJT, I don't believe she's the KJT that scared (Petrified is the word!!) the World Record in the 2015 Euro's!
But she HAS that ability!
If she starts good, and hits a 6.80 Long Jump, watch the numbers!!
Assuming she's on---even at 90%---I can't see anyone else seriously challenging!
But watch for Erica Bougard, Ivana Dadic, Antoinette Nana-Djimou, Eliska Klucinova, Alina Shukh, Yorgelis Rodriguez, and even Kendell Williams to join her in the 4500-plus arena!!

400 Semi's

60  (6.95)
There came an abundance of sub-7.10 times in the week or more prior!
But 7.0's aren't 6.9's!!
So give the MR 15-85 odds!!
You have the altitude-assisted 7.02 of American Javianne Oliver, the shocking 7.03 of Mujinga Kambundji, the 7.06's of Tatjana Pinto & Asha Philip, the 7.07 of Murielle Ahoure, and the 7.09 of the "newly stout" Dafne Schippers!
(Yes, she appears to have gained weight!!  LOL)
You also have the longer names--Marie Josee Ta Lou and Michelle Lee Ahye!
And the forever young Ewe Swoboda!!
Then there's ET!!
Yes, that's Ms Elaine Thompson--who raced (Jogged??) to a 7.17 recently--but who has a PR of 6.98!!
"Experts" say she wouldn't come to a WC's if she weren't ready to rumble!!
Is she??
We'll soon find out!
Could make the others nervous!

Saturday, March 3rd

Triple Jump  (WR & MR  50-4.75)
Forget the Records!
(Except maybe the Venezuelen and American National Records!!)
Keturah Orji--even though just 6 days from her NCAA comp--was added to the line-up---as only a WORLD Leader should be!!
But with Yulimar Rojas ALSO present, Orji will have her work cut out for her!
Rojas should win this one, but keep in mind Orji was 4th in Rio--with her OUTdoor PR of 48-3.25!
(INdoors, she's at "only" 47-8!!)
Add Viktoria Prokosenko, Paraskevi Papachristou, Shaneika Ricketts of Jamaica, and improving American Tori Franklin!

800 Heats
4 X 400 Relay Heats

Pole Vault  (16-0.75)
On a slightly lesser scale than the Men, the All-Star Perche was one Historic exhibition of raw talent!
And the same question applies here as in the Men's PV Preview---Can History repeat itself??
With only Jenn Suhr MIA (She's actually the US alternate!), this could be one of the greatest Women's PV's of All-Time!!
You have the Greek Ekaterina Stefanidi!
The snake-loving Arkansan, Sandi Morris!
And the WORLD LEADER---and USATF Champion--Katie Nageotte!!
Ridiculous as it might have seemed just weeks ago, Nageotte would NOT win "Shocker of the Meet" prize if she indeed WINS this event!!
Do NOT bet against her!
Stef isn't in prime shape--winning some meets on fewer misses--and nothing with a 16 in it!
But beyond this trio, watch VERY carefully for Russian Anzhelika Sidorova, who's been steady in the high-15 range!
There's a solid group of Back-up Singers---but a few are a bit off-key at present!
Include Lisa Ryzih, Alysha Newman, Nina Kennedy, Yarisley Silva (She hasn't competed this season yet!!), Ninon Guillon-Romarin, and Eliza McCartney in that group!
Odds are 80-20 for the MR!

60H Semi's

400  (50.04)
If Keturah Orji was added at the last minute, why weren't McLaughlin & Irby?  (See above!)
They're all Collegiates, so the "interference with NCAA's" factor doesn't apply!
And as of this minute, that duo are the World Leaders!!
Anyway, while the "best" might be MIA, we DO have a few that could make the race interesting!
Start with Courtney Okolo and Shakima Wimbley!
But don't ignore Lea Sprunger of Switzerland, who's been nabbing National Records left and right this season!
Stephanie McPherson is another to watch, but maybe the fave for the Brits will be Elidh Doyle!
The MR won't fall--5-95 odds!

1500  (3:59.75)
With no 3000 heats for the Women, Distance Doublers may be in abundance!
Stating intentions to double are Genzebe Dibaba, Laura Muir, and Shelby Houlihan!
KK (Konstanze Klosterhalfen) HAD said she would double, but apparently is going with just the 3k now!
With noted front-runners Dibaba and Muir here, and with the dangerous kicker in Houlihan, the pace might receive stimulation from fear and uncertainty!
Beatrice Chepkoech has set TWO Kenyan NR's this season--her last being 4:02.21!
Can she do it again?
Meref Bahta is good, but not quite in the class of the above!
Dawit Seyaum runs hot and cold!
(With Birmingham weather freezing & snowy, this might influence Seyaum's approach!!  LOL)
The only other one of any interest is Jamaican Steepler Aisha Praught-Leer--who's been having a GREAT 2018!!

60H  (7.72)
The World Record is 7.68!
BOTH Records could come crashing down---with MULTIPLE breakers in each!!
Kendra Harrison has run 7.72!
Christina Manning is close at 7.73.
Sharika Nelvis has done 7.70!
I almost feel sorry for Sally Pearson--who is readying for April's Commonwealth Games in her home country!!
Alina Talay and Cindy Roleder are Europeans who will be mostly space filler here!
Like the Men's 60, we could see the MR go in the Heats or Semi's!!
Then again, the Hurdles ARE the Hurdles--an event prone to DISASTER!!!

Sunday, March 4th

Long Jump  (23-8.75)
I think I'm DONE invoking the "How many times will Brittney Reese foul?" rule!
She's proven time and time again she's somewhat (but not entirely!) beyond that now!
That said, I believe her dream of a 24 footer in her career's sunset years is no longer viable!
(Shock us, Brittney!!)
Even 23-8.75 would be difficult---for her or for Ivana Spanovic---so give the MR 15-85 odds!
Spanovic began the year slowly--fouling more than Reese!!--but has rounded into shape recently!
Not much beyond those two--but try Khaddi Signia, Quanesha Burks, and Christobel Nettey for possible Podium placers--on the lower end!

800  (1:56.90)
I hate to have to repeat myself, but here we go again!
I IGNORE all results from Caster Semenya, Margaret Wambui, and Francine Niyonsaba!
But Semenya isn't here!
The other 2 are!
The REAL contenders are Raevyn Rogers and Ajee Wilson!
The reason I put Rogers's name first is because I believe she can BEAT Wilson!!
With OUTdoor 400 speed (in a Relay!) of 49.77, she'd be tough to beat in a kickers race!
That said, she LOST a kickers race recently---by beginning her kick too late!!
So watch the early pace!
If they hit 56 for the first 400, we could see the MR fall--hard!!
Even the World Record of 1:55.82 could be approached!!
Habitam Alemu has had a pair of sub-2 races this year!
Angelika Cichocka is okay.
Watch also for Natoya Goule, Jenna Westaway, Selina Buchel, and local Gal Sheleyna Oskan-Clarke, who will hear the roar of the B'ham crowd as she plays Follow the Leader!

4 X 400 Relay  (3:23.88)
IF McLaughlin and Irby were here, I'd give the MR---and the World Record of 3:23.37!!--95-5 odds!
But they're not!
Yet the USA has a powerful 4-some--and could get BOTH Records---even without the two Collegiate Frosh!!
As per normal, watch for the Brits and the Jamaicans to claim Podium steps!
Poland and the Czech Republic are others to watch!

And that, my friends, is a WRAP!!
Use this--and the Men's Preview--as your Guide for the next four days!!
Enjoy the meet!

I'll be back Sunday night--or early Monday--with ALL the usual DETAILED Results---and hopefully!!--numerous Records and Top 24 A-T Performers Marks to report!!

See you soon!