Local hero to challenge El Guerrouj

The name Mehdi Baala might not ring too many bells in world athletics but France have made him the poster boy of these championships. Step into any metro station around Paris and with his distinctly French features you can't miss the images of the 25-year-old from Strasbourg.

And though it's five days into the event and the hosts are still waiting for their first gold medal, they won't care what happens for the rest of the week if he wins tonight's 1,500 metres in the Stade de France.

Baala won't exactly start the race as favourite, but there is no doubt he has the ability to challenge the world record-holder and three-time defending champion Hicham El Guerrouj.

Between them they should create the race of the championships. El Guerrouj is still insisting he will also run the 5,000 metres later in the week but to lose the 1,500 metres would be crushing for the Moroccan. He has still only lost three of his 1,500 metres or mile races since 1996, and two of those were Olympic finals.

Adding to the intrigue surrounding tonight's race is the two athletes have yet to meet this season. El Guerrouj has run faster, clocking 3:29.13 earlier this month to Baala's 3:30.97, his personal best. Yet the Frenchman, European champion last year, has been largely concentrating on 800 metres in recent weeks, ensuring he won't be short of the necessary speed on the closing lap.

Then there is the way they both qualified for the final, convincingly and oozing confidence. El Guerrouj won his semi-final in 3:38.25, as did Baala his in 3:39.73. The only worry for El Guerrouj was he was badly spiked in his race, but he isn't letting that concern him.

"It should be a wonderful race," he said later, in his perfect French. "I know Baala is an excellent talent and has a lot of good qualities. And I think it will be a race to remember."

What is practically certain is El Guerrouj will move first, hitting the front some 600m from home to drop a sub-54 second lap that usually kills off his opposition. But if he fails to get a few strides ahead of Baala going into the final 200 metres the advantage of the home support might prove decisive for the Frenchman.

If there is an outsider in the race it could well be the other French athlete Fouad Chouki, who has run 3:30.83 this season. But with his poster all over the city and the growing reverence in France for him there would clearly be no more popular winner that Baala.

The Irish interest in Paris today starts a lot earlier with Jamie Costin in the 50km walk, which starts at 7.50 local time. Without doubt the greatest test of endurance in athletics, the leading finishers normally expect to be out on the roads for almost four hours.

Costin has had his best season to date, and after becoming the first Irish athlete to break four hours in 2000 has lowered his best to 3:53.58 in Germany, and is now the highest ranked Irish male athlete in any event, placing 21st on the world list for 2003.

At 26 he is also coming into the prime of his career and will start with a greater determination to stay with the leaders for as long as possible. He spent several weeks training with Gillian O'Sullivan in Font Romeau in July and like the new World Championship silver medallist has come to Paris in the form of his life.

Yet the gap between Costin and the very best in the world is still quite wide, with defending champion Robert Korzeniowski of Poland, who has a best of 3:36.39, starting once again as favourite.

For Costin a top-15 finish, a performance which could be within his reach, would certainly satisfying his current targets at world level.

The only other Irish athlete in action today is Paul Brizzel, who goes in this morning's heats of the 200 metres. After winning the national title last month to earn his ticket to Paris, Brizzel is determined to run the best race of his season, with one eye on the 20.59 qualifying time for next year's Athens Olympics.

The Ballymena athlete was drawn in heat two, and his best of 20.79 this season is sixth fastest. Qualification for the second round certainly won't be easy, but at least Brizzel was drawn in lane two - and will start well clear of the cameras next to lane eight he so very nearly collided with at the European Championships in Munich last summer.