European Athletics (EA) – News – Women’s preview – The one-lap wonders who can land the glory

Hejnova ready to swap diamonds for gold
Until the Diamond League meeting in London two weeks ago, the last major track and field event before Moscow, Zuzana Hejnova was not the quickest in the world this year at the 400m hurdles. But it hardly mattered because she was by far the best. The small loose end was tied up, though, when she won in 53.07 to put another seal on her preparation to win gold this week.

The Czech Republic athlete has been one of the stars of the sport this summer, on the back of her Olympic bronze medal 12 months ago. She has stepped up in style, remaining unbeaten in the Diamond League and is the undisputed favourite in Moscow. One of the biggest threats could be from Great Britain's Perri Shakes-Drayton, who has the taste for the podium after winning the 400m – and being part of the golden 4 x 400m relay team – at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Göteborg in March.

It can all be about delivering on the day as Ohuruogu has shown
Christine Ohuruogu was Commonwealth champion in Melbourne in 2006, she was World champion in Osaka in 2007, she was Olympic champion in Beijing in 2008 and in London a year ago, she won silver. Not much doubt then that she is a woman who delivers when it matters.

It is why it is impossible to rule out Europe having the 400m gold medallist again as the Great Britain team captain has arrived in Moscow in a rich vein of form after her win in the Diamond League in London last month. But alongside her in the pursuit of victory will be Russia's Antonina Krivoshapka, the bronze medallist from the 2009 World Championships in Berlin. She has run quicker than Ohuruogu this summer – 49.57 to 50.00 – but it could be all about who is right on the day. Botswana's Amantle Montsho will in the mix too.

Aregawi knows how to turn on the style
Sweden awaits a wonderful moment in Moscow. The home crowd experienced it in Göteborg when Abeba Aregawi won gold to their delight five months ago and now they can prepare to celebrate again. Aregawi has taken her indoor 1500m form on to the outdoor track in prolific fashion, proving to be unstoppable on the Diamond League circuit, having established her authoritative position by winning the opening race of that series in Doha in May in 3:56.60, a time which remains the quickest in the world in 2013. It is unlikely she will have the dominance she has shown all the summer, because this is a championship, but none-the-less, she has enough power, strength, speed and tenacity to be able to fend off any challengers.

Whatever the barriers ahead, Zaripova will be ready
There are many favourites the Russians hope will produce gold, such as Mariya Savinova, the Olympic champion in the 800m. Another is Yuliya Zaripova, who ran a personal best 9:06.72 to also triumph in London in the 3000m steeplechase. Her best time this summer is 9:28 when she won the Universade in Kazan last month. But that was as quick as she needed to go then and now will come the real test of speed against some tough African rivals. Lydia Chepkurui tops the world rankings with 9:13.75 from Doha in May and in Monaco in July, her Kenyan teammate Milcah Chemos Cheywa ran 9:14.17. But Zaripova did not let anyone trouble her in London 12 months ago and now she will be ready to repeat that triumph.

A head for heights as the message is hammered home
Anna Chicherova, Yelena Isinbayeva and Tatyana Lysenko are three women who should bring more medal glory for Russia – and it could be all gold. Chicherova is the defending high jump champion after winning with a clearance of 2.03m in Daegu in 2011, moving to 2.05m in London to win gold. This summer she has cleared 2.02m – American Brigetta Barrett has 2.04m – but home advantage could prove an important factor for Chicherova.

Pole vaulter Isinbayeva has talked about taking a break from the sport before returning for the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016 and if these Championships are one of her last – for the moment – she will want to go out in style. She has not won this title since Osaka in 2007 when she was defending champion and she was third in London, so her ability to achieve at the big events remains but if she wins this time, it could be greatest triumph with it being in Moscow.

Lysenko, like Chicherova, is also the Olympic and world champion and she sits on top of the world lists with 78.15m from the Russian Championships in Moscow less than three weeks. Awesome form entering an event which she could make her own.

Saladuha aims for a successful defence
Ukraine's Olha Saladuha won the triple jump in Daegu with 14.94m and she leads the world this year with 14.85m. But she knows that that leap was not the best in 2013 because she did not even win the competition in Eugene as Columbia's Caterine Ibarguen triumphed with a wind-assisted 14.93m.

It could be all about a good early jump to set the tone and that first round might be crucial too in the javelin where Russia's Maria Abakumova is the defending champion but Germany's Christina Obergfoll has been in outstanding form in the Diamond League. She has a 5-0 record over Abakumova this summer while the Diamond League has been a brilliant hunting ground for Croatia's discus thrower Sandra Perkovic and it would be a surprise if she did not win gold.

She has the world's four leading marks – 68.96m, 68.48m, 68.25m and 68.23m – and qualified for the final on the opening morning on Saturday when she threw 63.62m.

 European Athletics (EA) – News