2022 World Athletics Championships: BBC Sport experts pick events to watch

A newly redeveloped Hayward Field hosts the biggest track and field meeting on American soil in more than a quarter of a century

Ten days, 49 events, more stars than the Milky Way.

The World Championships begin on Friday in Oregon, with the world's best going toe to toe at a gleaming Hayward Field venue.

To help you zoom in on some of the most mouth-watering finals, BBC Sport's team of experts have each selected one event that they think will deliver drama and intrigue by the bucketload.

Whatever takes your fancy though, you can watch all the action from every session on BBC Sport.

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Former world marathon champion Paula Radcliffe

Women's 800m final: Monday, 25 July, 02:35 BST

Keely Hodgkinson and Athing Mu resume their transatlantic rivalry after taking the top two spots in last year's Olympic final

"I've been looking forward to the women's 800m final at the World Championships since the Olympic final played out in Tokyo.

"Last summer, we saw America's Athing Mu beat Britain's Keely Hodgkinson to gold. Both were teenagers at the time, so it seemed like a rivalry that was going to dominate for years.

"But this year, Kenya's Mary Moraa has made a significant step up.

"The 22-year-old inflicted Hodgkinson's only 800m defeat of the season in Stockholm last month after claiming her national title ahead of Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon.

"The way Moraa can front run and surge into the final straight is going to challenge Mu's preference for controlling the race.

"The United States also have Olympic bronze medallist Raevyn Rogers and Ajee Wilson,the second-fastest woman in the world this year, as part of a very strong entry."

Two-time world javelin silver medallist Steve Backley

Men's shot put final: Monday, 18 July, 02:27 BST

Crouser, born and raised in Oregon, will attempt to make it a happy homecoming

"After the last World Championships in Doha, the men's shot put was labelled 'event of the year'.

"Since then we have seen both the indoor and outdoor world records broken by the twice-Olympic champion Ryan Crouser. On paper at least, the American should be unbeatable.

"And that's why we love championships… you can often tear up the predictions.

"In Doha, against the odds, defending champion Joe Kovacs beat Crouser by just 1cm.

"Then again at the 2022 world indoors, Crouser was beaten for the first time in over two years, as Brazil's Darlan Romani took gold.

"Throw the 2017 world champ Tomas Walsh of New Zealand in the mix and we are likely to see fireworks once again in Eugene."

Former world 1500m champion Steve Cram

Men's 1500m final: Wednesday, 20 July, 03:30 BST

Jakob Ingebrigtsen coaches himself after his father Gjert stepped down from the role on medical grounds in February

"I wouldn't normally just pick my own event, but I think a combination of factors just make this irresistible.

"There is a big world star in there in Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen. But he is not unbeatable.

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"There is some really good Kenyan talent who will be aiming to take him down, with defending champion Timothy Cheruyiot and world leader Abel Kipsang competing.

"And Britain have three guys in the mix, who are genuine medal threats and have different strengths.

"Josh Kerr, who won bronze in Tokyo, likes a hard, fast race

"Jake Wightman, the second fastest in the world this year, likes it a little slower and is really smart tactically.

"Neil Gourley is always dangerous, a strong finisher in slower, strategic finals.

"I love all of the intrigue, I am just really curious to see how it will all pan out."

Two-time world sprint hurdles champion Colin Jackson

Men's 110m hurdles final: Monday, 18 July, 03:30 BST

Olympic champion Hansle Parchment (left) and 2022 world lead Devon Allen will face off in a fascinating high-hurdles contest

"The jeopardy of the hurdles makes it enthralling anyway, but the mix of athletes in this one takes it to a new level.

"Hansle Parchment, the Jamaican Olympic champion, is an epic finisher. If he is in contention at hurdle six or seven the rest of the field can kiss the race goodbye. It is in his own hands.

"American Grant Holloway is the reigning world champion and narrowly took silver behind Parchment in Tokyo. He knows a really good start is key to turning that Olympic result around.

"Holloway's fellow American Trey Cunningham is probably the most consistent of all the contenders this season. He made a bad mistake at the US trials and still managed to finish second.

"The fastest man in the world this year is a third American, Devon Allen. However his 12.84-second run in New York in June came with a healthy tailwind. He is averaging somewhere more like 13.1 seconds. I think that is a better mark of form than an outlier of a performance."

World 100m semi-finalist Jeanette Kwakye

Women's 100m final: Monday, 18 July, 03:50 BST

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shericka Jackson ensured a Jamaican one-two-three in the 100m in Tokyo

"I'm going to throw it out there - I think this could well be another Jamaican clean sweep, just like it was at the Tokyo Olympics.

"However the order could be very different.

"Shericka Jackson is in ominously good form. She was once a 400m specialist, but switched down to the sprints a couple of years ago.

"She beat Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in both the 100m and 200m at the Jamaican trials.

"Fraser-Pryce has the three fastest times in the world this year though, while Thompson-Herah proved last year what a competitor she is when it comes to major championships.

"Dina Asher-Smith won silver in Doha three years ago, but this is going to be a tough ask. Daryll Neita is riding that self-belief from having made the Tokyo final. She has switched coaches, heading out to work in Italy, and that seems to be really working for her.

"I think on the fast track in Oregon, Asher-Smith, Neita and Imani-Lara Lansiquot - the third British competitor - will all go sub-11 seconds. But I think it will take a high 10.5 or low 10.6 time to take gold, with sub-10.8 necessary to get on the podium.

"Also look out for Switzerland's Mujinga Kambundji, who is running well. Melissa Jefferson won the US trials in a wind-assisted 10.69, but I wonder if her collegiate season is going to catch up with her and prevent her recreating her best form."

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