Raymond Graham, Gleaner Writer

The women's 100 metres hurdles is expected to be one of the most competitive events at the 2009 IAAF World Championships in Athletics.

Any of the expected eight finalists can win gold and it will not be a surprise if Jamaica best two hurdlers, Brigitte Foster-Hylton and Delloreen Ennis-London, are among the medals.

The event is littered with favourites who have bitten the dust at major championships. Gail Devers of the United States, her countrywoman Lolo Jones and the Canadian Perditia Felecian can attest to this.

Surprise gold medallist

American Dawn Harper, the surprise gold medallist in Beijing, has been the most consistent female sprint hurdler this season but one can easily remember this time last year when Jones looked unbeatable going into the Olympic Games, but had a mishap in the final which allowed her countrywoman to steal glory.

A look at the leading performers will show that it is close at the top. Canada's Priscilla Lopez-Schliep, the Beijing bronze medallist, is the top seed with a time of 12.52 seconds, a time she did in Doha in early May. This venue is noted for very fast times and since then she is yet to go close to that mark. This was the same venue that Jamaica's other Berlin-bound hurdler, Lacena Golding-Clarke, clocked her season best of 12.78 seconds.

Harper with a season best of 12.53 is the favourite but Foster-Hylton (12.64) at number four and Ennis-London (12.67) at number five cannot be counted out. Both veterans have been very competitive all season. Foster-Hylton was runner-up at the Bislett Games and the Lausanne Golden League meet while Ennis-London was fourth at both meets. Both went very close at the Rome Golden League meet where Ennis-London was second and Foster-Hylton, third.

Both Ennis-London and Foster-Hylton who had mixed results in Beijing last year know that time is catching up on them and will be determined to give this their best shot. Both are experienced and are in good nick and it is not beyond them to be on the medal podium in Berlin.

The three medallists from Beijing - Harper, Sally McLellan from Australia and Lopes-Schliep - will be bent on repeating that feat and with the two-time champion Michelle Perry of the United States seeking to make it three in a row, it will not be an easy task.

In Helsinki in 2005, both Jamaicans clocked 12.76 to finish close behind Perry with Ennis-London getting the silver and Foster-Hylton, bronze. This time around both will be hoping to duplicate their performances, especially Ennis-London who two years ago had to settle for bronze.