Saturday will see the start of the IAAF World track and field Championships at Berlin, where 1800 athletes will compete in 47 competitions over nine days.

The Great Britain and Northern Ireland Team was 60 strong when it was announced a fortnight ago, since when the Olympic high jump silver medallist Germaine Mason and the European U23 200m champion Toby Sandeman have withdrawn.

Still there will be plenty of interest with athletes from Preston, Bolton, Wigan and Blackpool due to compete in Germany.

Helen Clitheroe is head and shoulders above her fellow Brits in the 3000m steeplechase and is the only woman to be selected for Berlin in this event.

In spite of a lifetime best and British Record 9:29.14 at the Beijing Olympics, she failed to reach the final by fractions of a second, following a similar fate a year earlier.

It will be the fifth World Championship for the 35-year old and her 12th appearance in a major championship.

The World Championship is the most important event in the calendar for shot putter Carl Myerscough who has a lifetime ban from Olympic competition after suspension for a drugs offence in millennium year.

Now nearing 30, ‘The Blackpool Tower’ has cleared 20 metres every year but one since his return in 2002, and holds the UK record of 21.92m. He is the only man in Britain to have putted further than Geoff Capes, who set his best distances a generation ago. Carl set his 2009 best as on August 2 when he made 20.33m in a Northern League meeting.

Bolton Harrier Tom Lancashire could have a psychological advantage having set his personal best time for the 1500m at the World Championship venue – 3:34.29 at the Golden League meeting in June.

Fans will be able to follow the Games on BBC2.