Michael Aish
Event: 10,000m PB: 27min 46.37sec, Stanford, 2007
World ranking: not ranked in top 50
Mike's recent form saw him run a personal best of 27min 46.37sec for 10,000 metres at the Cardinal Invitational at Stanford. He is based in the USA at Gunnison, Colorado.

When event is on:
10,000m Final 21.40, 27 August
Note: these are the times of the event in Osaka. Japan is three hours behind NZ

James Dolphin
Event: 200m PB: 20.87sec, Sydney, 2007
World ranking: not ranked in top 50
James recently won the 200m at the Belgium Championships in 20.76sec. He is the current national champion over 200m and has consistently won that title since 2005. He was a finalist in the 200m at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

When event is on:
200m Heats 11.10, quarter finals 20.10, both 28 August
200m Semi final 22.20, 29 August
200m Final 22.20, 30 August

 

Stuart Farquhar
Event: Javelin PB: 81.70m, Sydney, 2006
World ranking: 43rd
Stuart won the javelin at the recent World Champs lead up meet in Cairns with a throw of 77.84m. His international experience includes the 2006 World Cup in Athens, the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games and the Athens Olympic Games in 2004.

When event is on:
Javelin Qualification 9.30, 31 August
Javelin Final 19.30, 2 September

 

Gareth Hyett
Event: 1500m PB: 3min 38.63sec, 2007 Telstra A-Series
World ranking: 45th
Gareth has only recently moved up to the 1500m distance from 800m. His recent form has included a 3min 57.46sec mile, a 3min 38.89sec and 3min 40.88sec 1500m. All these times were recorded in Europe over the last two months.
When event is on:
1500m Heats 11.25, 25 August
1500m Semi final 20.40, 27 August
1500m Final 20.05, 29 August

 

Tony Sargisson
Event: 50km Race Walk PB: 3hrs 58min 5sec, Melbourne, 2006
World ranking: not ranked in top 50
Tony's recent training has included 180km of walking per week, (around 16 to 18 hours of walking per week) and three sessions of heat training. He is hoping for a top 20 place. His international experience includes a silver medal at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games and 12th in the Japanese 20km Walk Championships.
When event is on:
50km Race Walk 7.00, 1 September

 

Nick Willis
Event: 1500m PB: 3min 32.17sec, Paris St-Denis, 2006
World ranking: 35th
Nick decided to not have any lead-up races to this year's World Champs. Instead he has embarked on a steady endurance based build up. The Melbourne Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist over 1500m currently has a cold but says that he also had one prior to the Commonwealth Games.
When event is on:
1500m Heats 11.25, 25 August
1500m Semi final 20.40, 27 August
1500m Final 20.05, 29 August

 

Beatrice Faumuina
Event: Discus PB: 68.52m, Oslo, 1997
World ranking: 19th
This will be Beatrice's sixth World Track and Field Championships. She rose to fame at the 1997 World Champs where she won the gold medal. She has 15 years of international experience and has won the national discus title 13 times. At the recent World Champs lead-up meet in Cairns she put in a solid performance of 58.08m.
When event is on:
Discus Qualification 10.00, 27 August
Discus Qualification 11.30, 27 August
(Note: It will depend on the draw which qualification
round Beatrice will be in)
Discus Final 19.45, 29 August

 

Nina Rillstone
Event: Marathon PB: 2hr 29min 46sec
World ranking: 49th
Nina made her debut at the marathon in Nagano in 2006 with 2hr 29min 46sec and finished third. She followed that up with 2hr 31min 19sec at the New York City Marathon last November. Her most recent performance was breaking her national half marathon record with 1hr 10min 35sec at the New York Half Marathon on 5 August.
When event is on:
Marathon 7.00, 2 September

 

Kimberley Smith
Event: 10,000m PB 31min 20.63sec, Stanford, 2007
Event: 5000m PB 14min 49.41sec, Rome, 2007
World ranking: 7th
Kimberley has continued to improve over the distance events in recent months, breaking the New Zealand record for both the 5000m and 3000m. The USA based athlete will probably only compete in the 10,000m even though she is entered for both the 10,000m and 5000m. Since 2003 her international experience has taken the form of both track and cross country races.
When event is on:
10,000m Final 21:50pm, 25 August
5000m Heats 20.05pm, 29 August
5000m Final 20.30pm, I September

 

Valerie Vili
Event: Shot Put PB: 20.20m, Christchurch, 2006
World ranking: 2nd
Valerie has over six years of international experience. She shot to fame last year, winning the gold medal at both the Commonwealth Games and World Cup. She has shown great form leading into the World Championships in Osaka, with the third best shot put this year of 20.03m at the recent World Champs lead-up meet in Cairns.
When event is on:
Shot Put Qualification 10.30, 26 August
Shot Put Final 19.45, 26 August