6th IAAF World Championships in Athletics preview<br>Zambia first to send final entries for Athens

P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">MONACOMonte CarloWith exactly a month until the start of competition at the 6th IAAF World Championships in Athletics - the biggest single sporting event of 1997 - final entries are now pouring in to the IAAF Headquarters in Monte Carlo. The 1995 edition of these World Championships boasted a record 191 national federations and 1804 athletes. Athens is sure to better this because 200 federations (out of 209 total) sent preliminary entries for a total of 2705 athletes (1648 men and 1057 women). At least 2000 athletes are expected to make the trip.

Zambia was the first federation to send in a final entry form. The Zambian team will be proudly led by Samuele Matete, the barrel-chested 400m hurdler who won silver in the 1996 Olympic Games and has a great record at the IAAF World Championships: he was first in 1991 and second in 1993 and 1995.

Ecuador were also quick to confirm and have great hopes for walking star Jefferson Pérez. The 23 year-old was a surprise Olympic Champion at 20km in 1996 but confirmed his great potential with a speedy victory at the IAAF World Race Walking Cup held in Podebrady in April this year.

Ahmed Salah heads the Djibouti team. The 40 year-old marathon runner, who clocked 2:07:07 and won an Olympic bronze in 1988, will take part in his fifth World Championships (he missed 1993) - a rare feat for a marathon runner.

Last, but not least, the IAAF is delighted to note that its two newest Member Federations - Eritrea and Palau - have confirmed that they will be attending their first World Championships.

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