Beijing: Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva defends her Olympic pole vault title while Kenyans bid for historic distance feats.
Isinbayeva will be the feature attraction, with the Russian pin-up confident after raising her own world record twice last month after having not matched her old mark since 2005.
Some technique adjustments finally began to pay off with world records in 5.03m at Rome and 5.04m at Monaco. The Italian breakthrough left her overjoyed.
"Today I feel like the previous Isinbayeva," she said.
"Before I was full of problems, but after changes in my technique, my personal life, my coach, my life generally, I think I am stronger now in my personal condition.
"I run faster, I long jump longer but, more important, inside I feel so happy, so calm."
Her chief rival will be American Jenn Stuczynski, who cleared 4.92m to win the US trials, then called out Isinbayeva.
"I hope we go over and do some damage - kick some Russian butt," Stuczynski said. "I hope it fires them up because we are pretty fired up over here."
Isinbayeva answered with two world records and says it might take another to win Olympic gold.
Kenyans seek a seventh consecutive Olympic gold in the 3,000m Steeplechase after sweeping the podium last year, even though 2008 world leader and 2004 bronze medalist Paul Kipsiele Koech is only a reserve after a poor trials.
Ezekiel Kemboi defends his Olympic crown with Richard Matelong, third in the 2007 worlds, and world champion Brimin Kipruto, the 2004 Olympic runner-up also in the mix.
Three-time world runner-up Kemboi, 26, could become the first man since Finland's Volmari Iso-Hollo in 1936 to win back-to-back Olympic titles in the event.
Kenyan-born Tareq Mubarak Taher of Bahrain, the 2006 Asian Games champion, is the top bet to thwart a Kenyan sweep.
No Kenyan woman has ever won Olympic gold at 800 meters but teen Pamela Jelimo has the year's five best runs after the doping suspension of Russian Yelena Soboleva, who had the world's best time.
Jelimo, ranked sixth all-time after running an African record 1:54.97 in Paris, had not raced the 800 before this past April. She is from the same village as her top rival, world champion Janeth Jepkosgei.
European women's discus champion Darya Pishchalnikova was also among the Russians suspended for doping, ending her medal bid and leaving Romania's Nicoleta Grasu, Cuba's Yarelis Barrios and American Stephanie Brown-Trafton as the top contenders with world champion Franka Dietzsch of Germany injured.
World champion Irving Saldano of Panama could be the man to beat in the men's long jump after a leap of 8.73m in May, but he did not approach that level in two July wins, leaving open hope for Louis Tsatoumas of Greece and Cuba's Ibrahim Camejo.
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