( l - r ) Stewart, Fraser, Campbell-brown, Jeter

IT WILL be four the hard way in the women's 100 metres as Jamaica's Kerron Stewart, Shelly-Ann Fraser, Veronica Campbell-Brown and the United States Carmelita Jeter are expected to have a blanket finish to decide on the fastest woman in the world.

Although she is the world leader with 10.75 seconds, after blowing away the field at the Rome Golden League meeting, it should not be a cakewalk for Stewart as this is a different affair.

Unlike Rome, there will be three races before the final and because she is normally a slow starter, Stewart will be hoping to repeat her Rome start, the best so far this season.

Fraser's biggest upset

Going into the Olympic Games last year as an underdog, Fraser created the biggest upset of the Games when she stunned the world to win gold in 10.78 seconds. With that experience, she could go all the way once again as she is blessed with a bullet-like start and could use this to her advantage and make up for her Rome defeat to Stewart, where she clocked 10.88 seconds for second.

Defending champion Campbell-Brown has not looked as zippy as she should, and with a season best 10.96 seconds, she will have to go much faster if she is to retain her title as this is not expected to be a slow race and the winner could go sub 10.7 seconds.

In her last race she finished third behind the Olympic champion, but she is a 'warrior' and could upstage her rivals.

Jeter to prove her worth

While she has been playing second fiddle to the likes of Fraser and Stewart in the latter stages of the season, the United States' Jeter, who has defeated all top-three Jamaicans so far this season, could be waiting for this opportunity to prove her worth.

Two years ago Jeter came third in a very close 100 metres and now conditioned by coach John Smith, the former coach of Maurice Green, she could surprise.

Women's 800m

After dominating the world last year in the 800 metres where she was unbeaten and winning Olympic gold, Kenya's Pamela Jelimo has been struggling this season and after two poor performances on the European circuit, she has not run on the circuit as she went back home to prepare for the Championships.

She has improved since and finished second at the Kenya National Championships in 1:59.41 to Janeth Jepkosgei, the defending World champion, who won in 1:59.31.

New kid on the block

The World leader in this event is a new kid on the block, 18-year-old Coster Semenya of South Africa, who clocked a world-leading 1:56.72 at her country's national championships and she could start as the favourite in Berlin.

The United States' Maggie Vessey (1:57.84) and the Russian pair of Anna Alminova (1:57.84) and Mariya Savinova (1:57.90) are the other top-ranked athletes in this event, while Jamaica's Kenia Sinclair, with a season best of 1:59.13, is expected to make her presence felt.

The South African could go all the way but the Kenyans normally do well at major championships and it could be a battle between the Olympic and defending champion, while the United States' Vessey could give her country a long overdue win.