Desperately Seeking A New Superstar

Will World Championships throw up heir to Bolt’s throne?

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The first World Athletics Championships of the post Usain Bolt era gets underway here on Friday with the sport desperately seeking a new superstar as it tackles a slew of ongoing doping controversies.

More than 2,000 athletes from over 200 countries and territories will take part across 10 days of competition at Doha’s Khalifa International stadium, where organisers say a state-of-the-art air-conditioning system will shield competitors from ferocious heat and humidity.

The championships are seen as a key staging post for Qatar as the Gulf state prepares for the vastly greater challenge of hosting football’s World Cup in 2022.