Dateline Daegu: Part I

From now through the closing ceremonies on September 4, Armory Track will be giving you the news and notes at the IAAF World Championships — the premier track event until the 2012 London Olympics.

Asafa Powell — who has run a record 73 sub-10 100-meter dashes — isn't conceding anything to countryman Usain Bolt at the Worlds, telling Mike Dickson of the London Mail, "I am the No 1 sprinter right now, I've got the fastest times this year, I would say I am the man to beat."

But Powell certainly has respect for Bolt accomplishments and recognizes his importance to the sport. "I appreciate the benefits that Usain has brought to track and field," he offered. "He has made it more exciting and brought a lot more interest."

In an unattributed story in Kenya's Daily Nation, there is alarm that the current IAAF World Athlete of the Year David Rudisha isn't being seen as one of the stars of the Worlds. Of the 800-meter world record holder (1:41.01), the Daily Nation writes, "Rudisha hasn't been marketed well worldwide, something his manager, bald-headed American John Templeton, should consider as a bit of a wasted opportunity. You don't see Rudisha's images here as much as you do Bolt's. In fact, I'm yet to see any of Rudisha thus far.

Today was a rough day for technology. There was something of a chaotic scene at the International Association of Athletics Federations Congress today as pole vaulting legend Sergey Bubka — according to Duncan Mackay of Inside the Games — initially "sensationally failed to earn election as one of the four vice-presidents."

Bubka was fifth in a four-man race as Dahlan Jumman Al Hamad (Qatar), Abby Hoffman (Canada), Bob Hersh (U.S.) and Sebastian Coe (Great Britain) took the top spots. So surprised by the results and inconsistencies with the voting machines, a re-vote was held. This time Hersh was the top vote-getter while Bubka was fourth (with 41 more votes than the electronic poll). The Canadian, Hoffman, dropped to fifth with 53 fewer votes.

Speaking of chaos, Philip Hersh of the Chicago Tribune is wondering if an American track doomsday scenario is on the horizon. "The U.S. men could come home without a single gold medal from the World Track & Field Championships that begin Saturday in Daegu, South Korea," he writes. Although he thinks that is unlikely, Hersh points out that no men's athlete from the U.S. is an odds-on favorite.

David Leon Moore of USA Today has profiled Allyson Felix and her quest for the 200/400 double gold. "I was going back and forth about just defending the 200 or trying something new," Felix told Moore. "I just felt like after the three times I was able to do it successfully, it was time to step out of my comfort zone. I'm excited about it and a little nervous to do something I'm not as comfortable with."

Speaking of double gold, Ian Chadband of the London Telegraph, calling Mo Farah "the hottest athlete on the planet," writes about his opportunity to claim a double victory in the 5k and 10k. Of course, standing in his way would be the great Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia, who pulled off the double at Worlds in 2009. "Kenenisa Bekele is like the Usain Bolt of distance running and he's dominated," said Farah.

Stat geeks rejoice. K. Ken Nakamura has pieced together an amazing guide to the numbers from the history of the World Championships.