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Athletes arrive for World Championships

America's World champions Maurice Greene (100 metres), John Godina (shot put) and Michael Johnson (400 metres) arrived earlier today in Seville for the World Athletics Championships.

Greene, 100 metres World record holder, along with other members of the group coached by John Smith, arrived today from Monte Carlo, where they had been training for the past couple of weeks.

Greene should be running two rounds of the 100 metres on Saturday, 100 metres semi-final and final on Sunday, the first two rounds of the 200 metres on Tuesday, the 200 metres semi-final on Wednesday and the final on Friday. He should also take part in the US 4x100 metres relay team which contest heats on Saturday 28 and, if all goes well, the final on Sunday 29.

Defending 400 metres World champion and 200 metres World record holder Michael Johnson and shot put World reigning champion John Godina also arrived.

Eunice Barber, who will certainly be one to watch in Seville, also arrived today in the Capital of Andalusia. The Sierra Leone born Barber, who now competes for France, has entered in both the long jump and the heptathlon and has serious chances of winning a medal in both events: she jumped 7.01 metres this year and is fourth in the world lists and has accomplished 6505 points in 1999, second to Dedee Nathan who will not be in Seville. Barber had also qualified for the 100 metres hurdles but will not be able to compete in this event.

France's other main medal hopes, Christine Arron and Jean Galfione will arrive on August 19 and 22 respectively, while 400 metres hurdles World champion Stéphane Diagana flies in on August 20.

Italy's 1997 long jump bronze medallist Fiona May will be in Seville tomorrow while Athens 10km walk world champion Anna Rita Sidoti is due to arrive on August 24.

Namibia's Frank Fredericks will arrive in Seville on tomorrow, just one day before the opening ceremony, which will be held on August 20 at 21:30. Great Britain's 110 metres World record holder Colin Jackson is also landing in Seville on 19 August.