Athletics / Bob Adams / 03 September 2011 /

Two final bets for the last day of what has been a thoroughly entertaining World Athletics Championships. Philips Idowu can claim another gold medal for Great Britain and a Russian can beat an odds-on shot in the women's 1500m.

Daegu waves farewell and adieu to the World Athletics Championships today and to nine days of thrilling competition that have seen both triumph and tragedy in equal measure. I'm certain there's more to come on both counts today and the difference between success and failure in athletics can be measured by as little as one hundredth of a second or a single centimetre. A single centimetre is all Philips Idowu [2.68] will require to secure the men's Triple Jump crown, but undoubtedly the colourful Idowu will need to be at his very best to defend the title he won so emphatically in Berlin two years ago.

Idowu has deliberately had a low key season in preparation for these championships, but his season's best of 17.59m puts some way behind the likes of Italy's Fabrizio Donato [75.0], the consistent Cuban Alexis Copello [6.8] and Christian Taylor [8.2] of the USA. Throw into the mix Portugal's Nelson Evora [5.9] and the brilliant young Ukranian Sheryf El Sheryf [30.0] and this is one hell of a triple jump competition. It's only a pity that the flying Frenchman Teddy Tamgho is missing through injury as his 17.91m mark this year would have set the standard.

There is no doubt that Idowu ups his game for major championships and anywhere near his PB of 17.81m would probably be good enough to win today and move Team GB further up the medal table. El Sheryf, in his first major championships can also mount the podium and must be backed in the 1-2-3 market at [4.4].

After Idowu wins the triple jump, Mo Farah [2.7] can give Britain more to cheer about in claiming 5000m gold ahead of the evergreen American Bernard Lagat [2.56] and the 10,000m bronze medallist Imane Merga [10.0]. I felt Farah kicked too soon in the 10k final and was always vulnerable to the finishing kick of the Ethiopian Ibrahim Jeilan. I'm certain that he will not make the same mistake again and having had eight days rest since his exertions over the longer trip, Farah should be sufficiently rested for today's final.

I cannot comprehend why Caster Semenya [1.46] of South Africa is so short in the women's 800m market in what looks on paper to be a very strong field indeed. Semenya burst on the international scene two years ago when winning the World Championships 800m to a backdrop of controversy over possible drugs misuse and suspicions about her gender. Casting all that aside, Semenya stormed to victory in Berlin in a time of 1.55.45, a mark she has subsequently failed to match. On that occasion Semenya absolutely slammed former World Champion Janeth Jepkosgei [11.0], but on this season's form there is very little to choose between the pair.

A bigger threat to Semenya defending her title though will come from a trio of Russians who all displayed gold medal standard at the national championships in Cheboksary in July. On that occasion Mariya Savinova [6.2] won in a photo-finish from Yuliya Rusanova [16.5] and Yekaterina Kostetskaya [30.0] and these three all dominate this year's world rankings.

Two years ago Savinova was only fifth in Berlin behind Semenya, however the 26-year-old has shown significant improvement, subsequently taking both World Indoor and European Championships gold on her way to this final. Former 1500m runner Rusanova has displayed incredible development at this trip over the past two years and Kostetskaya is another name for the future, but of the Russians, Savinova is the one to back.

Recommended Bets:

Back Phillips Idowu [2.68] to win gold in the men's Triple Jump final
Back Sheryf El Sheryf [4.4] to podium in the men's Triple Jump final
Back Mo Farah [2.7] to win the men's 5000m final
Back Mariya Savinova [5.7] to win the women's 800m final

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