READY TO GO: Yego gears up for his bit as 800m women charges face Semenya

Julius Yego of Kenya reacts as he competes in the men's javelin throw final during the 15th IAAF World Championships at the National Stadium in Beijing

Julius Yego, the world javelin champion, has not impressed since winning the global title at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Beijing, China, last year.

He heads to the pitch today for qualifying rounds slightly below the radar this season.

But Yego, an alumnus of Kapsabet Boys High School, is ready to once again set the tempo with his loud scream from the field events arena after releasing the javelin that would sail in the air for eternity before it registers the best throw.

He finished third at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Stockholm, Sweden, where the current Diamond Race leader Thomas Rohler of Germany maintained his lead at the head of throw effort of 85.59m, which came in the third round.

Yego is yet to register a win this season in the Diamond League meetings –and thus will line up not as a favourite only until he sails through the rounds. He has exhibited good form and would pull an upset as the event remains too unpredictable.

Yego paid glowing tribute to Jemimah Sumgong for leading Kenyans into first gold medal on Sunday, saying it inspires Team Kenya ahead of competitions lined up for the week.

The runner from Cheptonon Village in Nandi Hills sympathises with his arch- rival, Egypt’s Ihab Abdelrahman El Sayed who faced doping challenges in the run-up to the Rio Olympic Games even though the Egyptian posed little threat to him.

He expects stiff challenge from a legion of European throwers that include Rohler, who has displayed good form this season.

Meanwhile, women’s 800m showdown is set for fascinating clashes with heats starting off today at 4:55pm Kenyan time.

Eunice Sum, the 2013 world 800m champion, leads Kenya’s onslaught that features 2014 world junior champion Margaret Nyairera and Africa 800m silver medallist Winny Chebet in the chase for semi-final slots set for tomorrow.

The battle will no doubt culminate in mouth-watering clashes where three Rio Olympic favourites in South Africa’s 2009 world champion Caster Semenya (1:55.45), Burundi’s world indoor champion Francine Niyonsaba (1:56.59) Nyairera (1:57.52) fight for glory.

Semenya is, however, the red-hot favourite here in Rio. And it will take a brave athlete to stop her from winning an Olympic gold medal and only needs to sail through to the finals.

But Nyairera has shown her intent to battle Semenya and that becomes realistic once she goes past today’s semi-finals.

Without slip-ups like the one that befell Botswana’s Olympic silver medallist Nijel Amos, the three Kenyans can safely glide into the finals.