Jamaica
100m/200m
The triple world record holder has set his sights on lowering the 100m mark to 9.4secs in 2012. Bolt has largely been in a league of his own while the rest of the world competes for second place. But a disappointing 2010 in which he was beaten by his closest rival and world’s second fastest man, the American Tyson Gay (PB 9.69), showed that Bolt may not be wholly infallible. Bolt and Gay will not go head-to-head in the Diamond League, but instead will meet at the World Championships in Daegu
Where to see him Rome, 26 May (100m); Paris, 8 July (200m)
Key clash Rome, where he will face the former world record holder Asafa Powell and European champion Christophe Lemaitre
PB 9.58 (100m WR), 19.19 (200m WR)
Major honours Olympic champion (100m, 200m, 4x100m relay), world champion (100m, 200m, 4x100m relay) Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters
France
Triple jump
France’s young superstar is the only man in 15 years to come close to Jonathan Edwards’s world record jump of 18.29m, and Edwards himself has tipped Tamgho as the most likely man to take his record. But Tamgho’s outdoor championship form is shaky, while in contrast Phillips Idowu (PB 17.81) has excelled on the big stage in recent years. At the world championships their battle will be a case of youth and distance versus experience and championship pedigree
Where to see him Doha, 6 May
Key clash Facing Britain’s Phillips Idowu, the reigning outdoor world and European champion who won Olympic silver in 2008
PB 17.98 (outdoors), 19.92 (indoors, WR) 2010 SB 17.98 (WL)
Major honours World and European indoor champion Photograph: Eric Feferberg/AFP/Getty Images
Croatia
High jump
On a par with Usain Bolt as the most entertaining athlete to watch in track and field, Vlasic always puts on a show - dancing away as she clears the bar. A huge celebrity in Croatia, stalked by paparazzi and dogged by rumours of sex tapes and scandalous photos, she reigns supreme as queen of the high jump – an Olympic silver medal the only ‘blip’ in a dazzling career to date. She remains just 1cm away from Stefka Kostadinova’s 24-year-old world record, the only woman to come close
Where to see her Shanghai 15 May, New York 11 June
Key clashes World Championships against Ariane Friedrich of Germany (PB 2.06m), Chaunte Howard Lowe of USA (PB 2.05m)
PB 2.08m (outdoors), 2.06m (indoors) 2010
SB 2.05m (joint WL)
Major honours World and European champion, Olympic silver Photograph: Georges Gobet/AFP/Getty Images
Kenya
800m
Rudisha was crowned athlete of the year in 2010 after twice breaking the world record, and holds four out of 10 of the fastest ever 800m times at the tender age of 22. He is tipped to be the first athlete to break the 1:40 barrier; the world championships and 2012 Olympics should bring medals too. Coached by an Irish missionary named Brother Colm high in the hills of the Rift Valley, Rudisha is also a Maasai warrior following in the footsteps of his father – the first Maasai ever to compete at an Olympic Games when he won silver in the 4x400m relay in 1968.
Where to see him: Rome, 26 May
Key clashes: World Championships against reigning world champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi of South Africa
PB 1:41.01 (WR) 2010
SB 1:41.01 (WR)
Major honours African champion, 2010 Athlete of the Year Photograph: Georges Gobet/AFP/Getty Images
GB
Heptathlon
Dubbed the face of 2012, this year will be huge for the Sheffield star as she returns from the injury that kept her from competing at the European Indoor Championship in March, and tests herself once more against the cream of the world’s heptathletes. Ennis missed the 2008 Olympics with a fractured right foot, in tears as she watched at home on the TV. She will be determined to match Denise Lewis’s feat and win the Olympic title next year
Where to see her New York, 11 June
Key clashes Gotzis, Austria, 28/29 May, Combined Events Challenge versus Olympic champion Nataliya Dobrynska (6,778pts, Ukraine) and Olympic silver medallist Hyleas Fountain (6,735pts, USA)
PB 6,823 points 2010 SB 6,823 points (WL)
Major honour World champion indoor and outdoor, European champion Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
Jamaica
100m
The diminutive sprinter with the braces and the big smile had a difficult year in 2010 after testing positive for oxycodone and being issued with a six-month ban from the sport. Fraser, who married boyfriend Jason Pryce this year, said she had taken a painkiller for toothache ahead of the Shanghai Diamond League meet unaware that the substance – which is not considered to be performance enhancing – was on the banned list. Fourth on the all-time fastest 100m list, the only contemporary to have run faster is Carmelita Jeter of the USA (10.64)
Where to see her TBA
Key clashes Carmelita Jeter (10.64, USA), Kerron Stewart (10.75, Jamaica) PB 10.73 2010 SB 10.82
Major honours Olympic champion, World champion Photograph: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters
USA
110m hurdles
An Arsenal fan, ladies’ pin-up and man of serious swagger, Oliver had a sensational year in 2010 and now looks to convert his status as third fastest man on the all-time list into medals at the world championships. In his way stand two hurdling greats, both returning from injury: China’s Liu Xiang, a former Olympic champion, and the world record holder and defending Olympic champion Dayron Robles of Cuba
Where to see him Shanghai 15 May, London 5-6 August
Key clashes Liu Xiang, Dayron Robles at the World Championships
PB 12.89 2010
SB 12.89 (WL)
Major honours Bronze, Olympic Games 2008 Photograph: Michael Steele/Getty Images
South Africa
800m
There can’t be many people in the world who haven’t heard of Semenya after the prodigy’s gender came under scrutiny following her world title win in 2009. Semenya was whisked away and subjected to further testing while the governing body made up their minds over what to do with her. Although allowed to keep her medal and prize money, the results of the investigation were never published and 11 months later Semenya was cleared to run. The 13th fastest woman in history will hope to defend her world title this year
Where to see her Eugene, 4 June
Key clashes Semenya will make her Diamond League debut against world silver medallist Janeth Jepkosgei , Olympic champion Pamela Jelimo and 2010 fastest woman of the year Alysia Johnson
PB 1:55.45 2010 SB 1:58.16
Major honours World champion 2009 Photograph: Olivier Morin/AFP/Getty Images
USA
400m
The defending world champion has won everything except an Olympic title will be desperate to regain her form this year ahead of 2012. Accused of 'choking' in the past when, despite being the current fastest woman on the planet, she finished third to Christine Ohuruogu in Beijing 2008, Richards-Ross suffers from Behcets, a rare skin disease that causes lesions and ulcers so severe that the US star often wear sleeves or body make-up. Married to NFL star Aaron Ross, the couple have been dubbed US sport’s answer to Beyonce and Jay-Z.
Where to see her Rome 26 May, Birmingham 10 July, London 5-6 August
Key clashes Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu, 200m and 4x400m world champion Allyson Felix
PB 48.70 2010
Major honours World champion 2009 Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images
Javelin
Norway’s own version of David Beckham is a cheese burger eating pin-up with attitude – he famously once gave local paparazzi the finger. Thorkildsen already has five major titles to his name, but longs to beat Jan Zelesny’s 1996 world record of 98.48m. The Norwegian has had the lion’s share of championship medals in his rivalry with Tero Pitkamaki of Finland, but just 6cm separates their personal bests, and the two are so competitive that they count each others’ grand prix wins.
Where to see him Shanghai 15 May
Key clashes Shanghai, against Pitkamaki (91.53m PB, Finland)
PB 91.59m 2010 SB 90.37m (WL)
Major honours Olympic champion 2004 & 2008, World and double European champion Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images
