(800m)

The muscular figure of Maria Mutola will be recognisable for more than one reason in Edmonton.

An athlete who has been a the forefront of 800m running over the past decade remains a force to be reckoned with and will be tough to beat this time around.

The 1993 world champion also picked up bronze and silver medals in 1997 and 1999 respectively.

Her mid-90s battles with Cuban Ana Quirot live long in the memory.

But her greatest triumph came in Sydney last year when the Mozambique athlete pipped Stephanie Graf and Britain's Kelly Holmes in the final straight.

Graf, Holmes and the up-and-coming Fabiane dos Santos will be Mutola's main rivals in Edmonton in a race which promises much.

But if Mutola can use her sprinting power at the death once more, you would be daft to back against her.