Vlasic hoping to retain high jump title at worlds

Defending champion, Blanka Vlasic, will be attempting to retain her title in the women's high jump at the World Athletics Championships on Saturday. Since winning silver at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 Croatia's Vlasic has successively taken the Berlin 2009 world, Doha 2010 world indoor and Barcelona 2010 European titles. But a serious injury to her take-off leg shortly before these worlds began has thrown her chances up in the air. The top spot on the favourites' list is now occupied by Vlasic's archrival Anna Chicherova, who last month won the Russian national title by clearing a world lead mark of 2.07m, a statement that she is at last ready to emerge from Vlasic's shadow. That 2.07m mark took her to equal third with Lyudmila Andonova on the all-time list behind Stefka Kostadinova (2.09m) and Vlasic (2.08m). Saturday's men's 1500m final, however, will not feature defending champion Yusuf Kamel of Bahrain, formerly Kenyan Gregory Konchellah, who bombed out in the semi-finals. Kamel, whose father Billy was a two-time world 800m champion for the country of his birth, could only finish sixth in his heat in 3min 47.18sec The second heat was much quicker and with just the top five in each heat plus the next two fastest progressing to the final, Kamel, who also won bronze in the 800m at the Berlin worlds in 2009, missed the cut. Also not making it were two-time world indoor silver medallist Daniel Komen of Kenya and reigning world silver medallist Deresse Mekonnen of Ethiopia. Kenyan duo Silas Kiplagat, the Commonwealth champion, and current Olympic champion Asbel Kiprop did qualify. Norway's defending champion Andreas Thorkildsen will bid to retain his title in the men's javelin, while Australia's Sally Pearson will be looking to win her country a rare medal in these worlds in the 100m hurdles. The morning session sees the medals decided in the men's 50km race walk and the evening session in the women's 4x400m relay.