A trio of outstanding candidates will be expected to be in the fight for medals, although predicting the exact order will be a trickier challenge.

 

The 2007 World champion and reigning Olympic champion Barbora Spotakova is the world leader following her outstanding 69.45m effort in Monaco and she will fancy her chances of regaining her crown.

 

At her absolute best the 30-year-old Czech is the most formidable force in the sport - as shown by her World record effort in Stuttgart in the 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final.

 

For the past couple of seasons injury have taken their toll, however under her new coach Jan Zelezny, the three-time former men’s javelin World champion, she is showing signs of returning to her very best and will hope to join Trine Hattestad, Mirela Manjani and Osleidys Menendez as a two time women’s World javelin gold medallist.

 

The most consistent thrower throughout the calendar year has been Christina Obergföll, who will be desperate to rid her tag as the eternal bridesmaid in this event. The German javelin ace is a two-time World silver, European silver and 2008 Olympic bronze medallist but with a record of seven wins out of nine this year she could be the women to beat.

 

She has also gained the upper hand on Spotakova in five of their six competitions this year and with a season’s best of 68.86m Obergföll will be brimming with confidence.

 

Mariya Abakumova is the final member of the elite trio. The Olympic silver and 2009 World bronze medallist started the season in fine fettle with wins in Rome and Ostrava and her season’s best of 67.98m in Velenje suggests she can make a real impact in Daegu. Abakumova has competed sparingly over the past six weeks but a 66.05m effort to land the Russian title on her last competition confirms her medal credentials.

 

African and Commonwealth champion Sunette Viljoen made a slow start to the season but the South African revealed her potential to make a big impact in Daegu by landing the recent World University Games title in China with an impressive effort of 66.47m to improve her own African record.

 

Obergfoll’s countywoman Katharina Molitor also looks a contender. The 2010 European fourth placer has a decent season’s best of 64.67m when finishing runner-up at the German championships and should be considered. A third German Linda Stahl has also been selected. The 25-year-old was a shock gold medal winner at the European Championships in Barcelona last year but has been unable to rediscover that form so far this year with a modest season’s best of 60.78m.

 

Slovenia’s Martina Ratej lies fifth on the World Lists following her 65.89m effort in Slovenska Bistrica and should she replicate this form she could be in the mix. Ratej holds the national record of 67.16m so is clearly capable should she overcome a series of recent health problems.

 

Olympic fourth placer Goldie Sayers has been ravaged by injuries for the past couple of seasons but the Briton showed signs of returning to her best with 64.46m to finish second at the European Team Championships in Stockholm.

 

Australia’s Kim Mickle, who registered a 2011 best of 63.82m in Sydney in March, is another who will approach the World Championships optimistic, especially after her fifth-place finish in Paris.

 

Former European bronze medallist Mercedes Chilla of Spain (63.77m) is also capable of performing with distinction but watch out for the improving Madara Palameika. The Latvian finished a highly respectable third in Monaco and recorded a season’s best 63.46m to win in Novi Sad.

 

US champion Kara Patterson has a season’s best of 62.76m to place fourth in Rome but has not been beyond 60m since.

Look out also for Spotakova’s Czech teammate Jarmila Kilmesova (61.12m) and Cuba’s Yanet Cruz (63.50m).

 

source: IAAF