With all the negative press surrounding the sport of Athletics at the moment opinion seems to be split on whether the start of the World Athletics Championships is a positive or negative thing.
One thing that’s for certain is that all the blood doping controversies of the last few months (which has seen 28 athletes who competed at the 2005 & 2007 Championship suspended pending further investigation) will be forgotten (at least temporarily) if the event is a stand out success.
The Championships start in the Birds Nest Stadium in Beijing, China this Saturday and run for 8 days. It will feature athletes from 138 different countries who will be competing for medals in 23 different mens and womens events.
Britain are sending a 63-strong team captained by European 400m champion Martyn Rooney, and feature amongst others Mo Farah, Greg Rutherford, Christine Ohuruogu, & Jessica Ennis-Hill.
Farah (twice) and Ohuruogu won the 3 gold medals for Great Britain at the Championships in Moscow in 2013, who along with both the mens and womens 4 x 100 metres replay teams and Tiffany Porter in the 100 hurdles completed our medal haul with all 3 taking bronze medals.
Most of the live action will be live on BBC tv and radio, but you will have to be an early riser to catch all of it with the time difference.
GB & NI team for World Championships:
MEN:
100m: James Dasaolu, Richard Kilty, Chijindu Ujah; 200m: Zharnel Hughes, Daniel Talbot; 400m: Martyn Rooney, Jarryd Dunn, Rabah Yousif Bkheit; 800m: Kyle Langford, Michael Rimmer; 1500m: Charlie Grice, Chris O'Hare; 5,000m: Mo Farah, Tom Farrell; 10,000m: Mo Farah; 110m hurdles: Lawrence Clarke; 400m hurdles: Niall Flannery, Jack Green.
High Jump: Robbie Grabarz; Long Jump: Dan Bramble, Greg Rutherford; Pole Vault: Steve Lewis; Hammer Throw: Mark Dry, Nick Miller; 20k Walk: Tom Bosworth.
4x100m: Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, James Ellington, plus from individual events: Richard Kilty, Danny Talbot, Chijindu Ujah; 4x400m: Conrad Williams, Delano Williams, Nigel Levine, plus from individual events: Martyn Rooney, Jarryd Dunn, Rabah Yousif Bkheit, Jack Green.
WOMEN:
100m: Asha Philip; 200m: Margaret Adeoye, Dina Asher-Smith, Bianca Williams; 400m: Christine Ohuruogu, Anyika Onuora; 800m: Jenny Meadows, Shelayna Oskan-Clarke, Lynsey Sharp; 1500m: Laura Muir, Laura Weightman; 5,000m: Steph Twell; 10,000m: Kate Avery; 100m hurdles: Cindy Ofili, Tiffany Porter; 400m hurdles: Meghan Beesley, Eilidh Child.
High Jump: Morgan Lake, Isobel Pooley; Long Jump: Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Shara Proctor, Lorraine Ugen; Pole Vault: Holly Bradshaw; Hammer Throw: Sophie Hitchon; Javelin: Goldie Sayers; Heptathlon: Jessica Ennis-Hill, Katarina Johnson-Thompson.
4x100m: Louise Bloor, Desiree Henry, Jodie Williams, Darryll Neita, plus from individual events: Asha Philip, Dina Asher-Smith, Bianca Williams; 4x400m: Kirsten McAslan, Seren Bundy-Davies, Laviai Nielsen, plus from individual events: Margaret Adeoye, Eilidh Child, Christine Ohuruogu, Anyika Onuora.
For more information as well as event start times etc please visit the official website here.