WRITTEN FOR THE IAAF WEBSITE

Following his swift 1:44.21 African record and world-leading performance in New York earlier this month, Kenya’s Emmanuel Korir will head into the competition in prime position for the gold medal.

The 22-year-old 2017 NCAA indoor and outdoor champion has only contested the one four-lap event this winter – which represented a two-second improvement on his previous best half mile mark – but his seasonal debut surely indicates his credentials for glory on what will be his first appearance at a major international championship.

A man of great consistency this winter, Adam Kszczot is unbeaten in all six of his 800m outings – clinching the event title on the IAAF World Indoor Tour in the process -and the Polish athlete will provide stiff opposition to Korir.

The two-time world outdoor and 2014 world indoor silver medalist notched up impressive victories in Dusseldorf, Madrid, Lievin, twice in Torun and in Glasgow last weekend, and the 28-year-old five-time European champion should be a strong bet for a medal, if not gold in Birmingham.

US duo, Donovan Brazier and Drew Windle, meanwhile enter the competition with confidence following their recent 1:45.10 and 1:45.53 respective personal bests.

Brazier, the 2016 NCAA outdoor champion has recorded three lifetime bests this season as well as taking the win in Boston with second place in New York, whilst Windle took the runner-up spot behind his teammate in the US trial and finished third in New York.

Others looking to impress include Spain’s Alvaro de Arriba – the European indoor bronze medalist who has recorded a 1:45.43 personal best this winter – and Mostafa Smaili of Morocco – the 2016 world junior bronze medalist who owns a 1:45.96 lifetime best from this season, and will be keen to improve on his sixth place finish from the Portland edition two years ago.