60602    A high level of competition is anticipated at the world track and field championships to be held in Sweden.

60603    Last year the world's attention was riveted on the World Cup Games held in the United States, but this year it is on the Rugby World Cup taking place in South Africa.

60604    Eyes will be focussed on Japan as it makes its third consecutive appearance at the Games.

60605    The world gymnastics championships will be held in Sabae City, Fukui Prefecture from October 1 to 10, with approximately 1,200 athletes from 60 countries participating.

60606    Team, individual all-around and individual events will be held, with the top 12 countries in the men's and women's team divisions and the top 120 individual finalists allowed to advance to the Atlanta Olympic Games.

60607    Japan is focusing on its women's team, which was not able to advance to the Barcelona Olympics three years ago.

60608    How will the team, led by Mari Kosuge and Risa Sugawara, perform?

60609    Conquering difficulties with the balance beam to climb to 9th place at last year's world championships, hopes are resting on a continued solid performance.

60610    In the men's division, Japan should place within the 12-country margin of safety in the team competition, but whether they can finish with a medal is hard to predict.

60611    Rivals are plentiful, including the old Soviet-bloc states of Russia, the Ukraine, and Belarus and the world champion, China.

60612    Will Olympic medallists Yoshiaki Hatakeda or Hikaru Tanaka be able to win medals in the individual all-around and individual event competitions?

60613    Expectations are high for Hatakeda on the pommel horse and for Tanaka on the parallel bars.

60614    As this is the first world championships to be held in Asia, attention is focussed on the region and many wonder how far gymnastics will spread through the area.

60615    The men's and women's team compulsory competitions

60616    The men's and women's team free competitions