ASAFA POWELL

Under pressure to win his first global title, Asafa Powell has his work cut out for him at the 11th IAAF World Athletics Championships in Osaka, Japan, which opens next Saturday.

Going into the event as the world record holder at 9.77, Powell faces probably the biggest challenge of his life.

He missed the 2005 Championships in Helsinki when the world was focused on a showdown between himself and American Justin Gatlin. He was also disqualified from the quarter-finals at the Paris World Championships.

In Osaka, Powell's main rival will be American Tyson Gay, the fastest man over the short sprint this year with 9.84 seconds.

So far this season, Powell has recorded times of 9.97 seconds, 9.94, 10.20, 10.20, 10.04, 9.90, 10.04.

In this his second World Championships, Powell has the edge over Gay - boasting five career wins over the American.

VERONICA CAMPBELL

Leader in the 100m event, Veronica Campbell looks set to take home the sprint double at this year's World Championships.

In the 100m, Campbell leads the world with 10.89 seconds, which handed her the National title on June 23 at the National Stadium.

She leads American Torri Edwards, an athlete she has defeated twice this season.

In five clashes overall between them, Campbell has won three times, two of which came this season.

The sprinter, who hails from Trelawny and attended Vere Technical High in Clarendon, won silver in the 100m and was fourth in the 200m in Helsinki.

NOVLENE WILLIAMS

With Jamaican-born American Sanya Richards not in the 400m field in Osaka, Novlene Williams stands a very good chance to take the gold.

Williams will be going into the event as the fifth-fastest woman this season but her consistency could give the edge over Americans DeeDee Trotter (49.64) and runner-up Natasha Hastings (49.84) for the top spot.

Williams has been Jamaica's leader over the distance for the past three seasons, and her personal best of 49.53 could be good enough for gold.

So far this season, the former Ferncourt High student, who also attended Barton County Community College and Florida State, has a best of 50.06.

KENIA SINCLAIR

Ranked number two in the world, Kenia Sinclair will be looking to break another barrier in middle- distance running for Jamaica.

Sinclair, the fifth fastest over the two-lap event this season with 1:58.61, will, however, will have to work overtime for a medal.

Based on the IAAF top list this season, Sinclair's 1:58.61 puts her behind Ukraine's Yuliya Krevsun (1:57.63), Russian Olga Kotlyarova (1:58.14), Maria Mutola of Mozam-bique (1:58.21) and Svetlana Cherkasova of Russia (1:58.37).

Going into the Championships, Sinclair, a former St. Jago High student, who has broken the national record no less than five times in three years, should be considered as a medal contender.

TRECIA SMITH

Reigning world triple jump champion Trecia Smith has her work cut out ahead of the 11th World Championships, which start on Saturday.

The 31-year-old Helsinki gold medallist has only jumped once this season and it was at the National Championships in June, when she topped the field with 14.35 metres.

The former Mannings High student has a personal best of 15.16m, achieved in 2004. However, the fact that she is out of the top 20, means she will have a hard time dispatching Russian Olympic champion Tatyana Lebedeva (15.14m, 15.10m), who opted out of the Helsinki final with an injury.

Cuban Yargelis Savigne (15.09m) and Marija Sestak of Slovania (14.92m) are the other two top jumpers this season.

USAIN BOLT

Bolt is one of the fastest men over 200m going to Osaka.

Ahead of the meet he could be asking himself two questions:

Should I challenge the world's leader and the second-fastest man ever, Tyson Gay? Should I settle for the silver?

Gay is the overwhelming favourite for the event but Bolt, the World Junior 200m record holder (19.93), if he runs his race, could surprise Gay.

Gay, who has run 19.62 seconds this season, the second fastest time ever - only behind American Michael Johnson's world record run of 19.32 will have to be caught in the straight.

However, Bolt, who has broken the Donald Quarrie's national record of 19.86 by running 19.75, looks to be in good shape this season.

Apart from Gay, he also will have to battle with another American in Wallace Spearmon, who has a season best of 19.82.

The 20-year-old Bolt, a former student of William Knibb High School, surprised many last month when he ran 10.03 over 100m to underline his readiness.