Canadians to watch at the track and field world championships

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The World Athletics Championships begin this Saturday in Tokyo — Friday in Canadian time zones. Here's a look at the top Canadians, including an unprecedented four defending world champs, in action at the biggest track and field meet of the year.

Camryn Rogers and Ethan Katzberg (hammer throw)

In 2022, Rogers became the first Canadian to win a hammer-throw medal at the world championships. A year later, she upgraded from silver to gold as she and Katzberg captured Canada's first world titles in the sport. They made more Canadian hammer history last summer in Paris, winning the country's first Olympic golds while snapping a 112-year medal drought.

Rogers, 26, is the clear favourite to repeat as women's world champion after winning eight of her nine international starts this year, including the last six in a row. Katzberg, 23, opened the year with five straight wins before finishing second at each of his past three international events. Olympic silver medallist Bence Halasz of Hungary beat him in the last two.

Marco Arop (800m)

It's been a lot of fun to watch Arop develop from the raw youngster who flamed out in the semifinals of the 2021 Olympics to the more polished runner who took bronze at the following year's world championships and then captured the world title in 2023. The 6-foot-4 Canadian came thisclose to adding an Olympic gold last summer, losing to his Kenyan rival Emmanuel Wanyonyi in a thrilling photo finish in Paris.

Wanyonyi, 21, is the man to beat in Tokyo. He won five of his seven Diamond League starts this year, including the season-ending Final for