Tirunesh Dibaba and Meseret Defar should provide another thrilling race in the 5,000m. © www.photorun.net

Track and field is underway in Beijing! Here’s a look at the women’s distance events.

800m
Final: August 18
The newcomer of the year is also considered the favorite. Kenya’s Pamela Jelimo, just 18 years old, is undefeated this year and has the second fastest time in the world, 1:54.97. Yelena Soboleva ran faster at the Russian championships (1:54.85), but she has subsequently been banned from competing in Beijing by the IAAF on a doping charge. Another Russian, Tatyana Andrianova, has run 1:56.00 this year. Janeth Jepkosgei (Kenya), the world champion, should also contend for a medal.

1500m
Final: August 23
Due to the suspension of Soboleva and her teammate Tatyana Tomashova, Maryam Jamal (Bahrain) is now the favorite. The former Ethiopian won the world championship last year. She is now the only one in the field who has run under 4:00 this year.

5,000m
Final: August 23
If Tirunesh Dibaba decides to double back after the 10,000m, there will be an epic showdown with her Ethiopian compatriot, defending Olympic champion Meseret Defar. Dibaba has the world record (14:11.15), but Defar has run almost as fast (14:12.88), and has the lifetime edge over Dibaba in match-ups between the two. After these two women, it is presumably the Russian Liliya Shobukova who has the best chances in the fight against the third Ethiopian, Meselech Melkamu, and the women from Kenya.

10,000m
Final: August 15
The top favorite is Tirunesh Dibaba. Only 23 years old, the Ethiopian has already won four world championships, but has not achieved the Olympic title yet. While the other Ethiopians and Kenyans will surely play some role, American Shalane Flanagan has run the fastest time in the world this year, a national record of 30:34.49. Don’t discount Flanagan’s teammate, Kara Goucher, who was the surprise bronze medalist at last year’s World Championships.

3,000m Steeplechase
Final: August 17
The Russian Gulnara Galkina is the clear favorite. Her 9:08.22 is the fastest time in the world this year, and she holds the world record of 9:01.59. At last year’s world championships, however, she placed only seventh. Instead gold and silver went to two Russians, Yekaterina Volkova and Tatyana Petrova, who will also be in Beijing. Kenya’s Eunice Jepkorir was third at last year’s World Championships and also has a good shot at medaling.