Track and field events at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Six things to look out for

Usain Bolt won't be racing at the Olympic stadium in Tokyo but there is still plenty of stars ready to step in his spiking shoes.

The women’s 100m final at Tokyo was one of the best assembled fields in recent times with Elaine Thompson-Herah successfully defending her Olympic title ahead of fellow Jamaicans Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce and Shericka Jackson.

The action from the pole vault and the jumps should further grip the attention of track and field enthusiasts.

Here are some of the stars to watch out for from the Olympic stadium in Tokyo.

1. Speed kings and queens

For the first time since Athens 2004, there will be no Usain Bolt in the 100m and 200m start lists at the Olympics.

The Jamaican, regarded as the greatest sprinter of all time, won unprecedented golds in both individual sprints at three consecutive Olympics – Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016.

The two fastest men in the field are the American pair of Trayvon Bromell, who holds the quickest time in 2021 of 9.77 seconds, and Ronnie Baker.

They will be bidding to win the USA's first men's 100m since Justin Gatlin at Athens 2004.

Also keep an eye on South Africa’s Akani Simbine who broke the African record with 9.84 in July.

The women's final was more about which Jamaican would be at the top of the podium.

Elaine Thompson-Herah led home a Jamaican clean sweep of medals with an incredible 10.61 seconds, making her the second fastest woman in history.

Only Florence Griffith-Joyner - with her 10.46 achieved in the 1998 U.S. Olympic Trials - has gone quicker.

American Noah Lyles, the reigning men's 200m world champion, is favourite for he half-lap event.

Jamaica's 100m medallists Fraser Pryce, Thompson and Jackson will also be on start lists of a loaded women’s 200m.

World 200m champion Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain has had to pull out through injury, but reigning 400m Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo is among the favourites for a medal.

The Bahamian is entered for both the 200m and 400m.

2. World records in the 400m and 400m hurdles?

The return of South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk after a long injury lay-off following his 400m gold at Rio 2016 in a world record time should also light up the track.

Another top attraction will be the 400m hurdles where on-form Karsten Warholm will be eyeing the Olympic title after the season of his life. He broke the world record with his 46.70 run on 2 July.

The two fastest women are set to go head-to-head in the women’s 400m hurdles.

Sydney McLaughlin broke Dalilah Muhammad's world record at the U.S. Trials, and a rematch appears likely in Tokyo.

3. East African distance delight

East African runners are likely to dominate the middle and long-distance races.

Ethiopia's Selemon Barega won the first gold on the track, the men's 10,000m, ahead of Ugandan pair Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo.

Cheptegei, the world record holder and 5000 and 10,000m, will be hoping to go one better in the shorter distance having failed to emulate Mo Farah's double-double from London 2012 and Rio 2016.

Kenyan runners are fancied to win the 1500m with reigning Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon and world champion Timothy Cheruiyot in superb form this season.

In the women's events, the biggest threat to the East African dominance comes from the Netherlands' double world champion Sifan Hassan who was born in Ethiopia.

Hassan has confirmed that she would attempt an audacious 1500-5000-10,000 treble in Tokyo.

New winners will also be crowned in the 800m, with double Olympic champion David Rudisha now retired and Caster Semenya ruled ineligible to defend her title.

American teenager Athing Mu is the favourite in the women’s 800m, while the second fastest man ever over the distance - Botswana’s Nigel Amos - will be hoping to London 2012 silver which remains his country's sole Olympic medal.

4. The stars of the field

Men's pole vault world record holder Mondo Duplantis has his sights set on gold in his debut Games.

The Swede broke the world record twice in a week in February 2020, clearing 6.17m and then 6.18m.

The men’s and women’s triple jump could also see new winners crowned. Venezuela's Rio silver medallist Yulimar Rojas has been in astounding form as she looks to depose her fellow South American Caterine Ibarguen of Colombia, the gold medallist in 2016.

Burkina Faso’s Hugues Fabrice Zango and double silver medallist Will Claye are ready to fill in the huge shoes of double Olympic champion Christian Taylor who is injured.

Zango is on a mission to win his country’s first ever Olympic medal.

5. Can Eliud Kipchoge make it a double?

Eliud Kipchoge, the Olympic champion who is also the fastest marathoner of all time, has trained his eyes on matching the feat of Abebe Bikila (1960 and 1964) and Waldemar Cierpinski, winner in 1976 and 1980.

Bikila and Cierpinski are the only men who have won the Olympic marathon twice.

Kipchoge's compatriot, Brigid Kosgei, the women's record holder who won the 2020 London marathon, is the hot favourite for the women’s marathon title in her first Olympics.

6. Will Allyson Felix make history in Tokyo?

American Allyson Felix is just one medal away from history.

The 35-year-old has won nine medals across four Games leaving her tied with Jamaica's Merlene Ottey as the most decorated female track and field athlete in Olympic history.

A medal for Felix in either the individual 400m or women's 4x400m relay will see her stand alone.

Medals in both would see Felix overtake Carl Lewis (10) for the most athletics medals in post-war Olympic Games.

The original Flying Finn, long distance legend Paavo Nurmi, won 12 medals from 1920 to 1928.

Stay bang up to date with all the action from Tokyo 2020, including the athletics, on our live blog here.