Russian long jumper Svetlana Biryukova (© Getty Images)
This will be the first global championships in which world and Olympic long jump champion Brittney Reese hasn't taken part.
Winner of the past six global gold medals – comprising three from the World Championships, two from the World Indoors and one from the Olympics – the US indoor record-holder is taking a well-earned break from the 2014 indoor season.
In her absence, Svetlana Denyaeva-Biryukova leads the 2014 world indoor season list. The Russian has twice leapt 6.98m on her home turf this season – an improvement of more than 20 centimetres on her previous indoor best – and the 22-year-old will be hoping for more success on her debut on the global stage.
Undefeated this year, world bronze medallist Ivana Spanovic leapt a 6.92m national record recently and could become Serbia's first ever medallist at the World Indoors.
She will be joined in the quest for medals by France’s European champion Eloyse Lesueur, USA’s Tori Bowie and Great Britain’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson.
Nicola Bamford for the IAAF
