By Steve Cram BBC Sport

Okay - with the World Championships almost upon us, I thought it was time to put my reputation on the line and give you my predictions for the gold medal winner in each event.

I'm not saying I'm infallible. But these are the athletes who I think we'll see standing atop the podium over the next ten days.

If you think you can do better, why not take me on? Print out my predictions, add your own underneath and we'll see who gets closest by the end of the championships.

MEN

100m
Dwain Chambers. Call it patriotism.
Your prediction:........................

200m
John Capel. I don't think Kostas Kederis is in the form he was last year.
Your prediction:........................

400m
Tyree Washington. Strong enough to cope with the rounds.
Your prediction:........................

800m
Yuriy Borzakovskiy. I've championed him for years.
Your prediction:........................

1500m
Hicham El Guerrouj. He remains the man.
Your prediction:........................

5000m
Hicham El Guerrouj. Controversial, but he's confident.
Your prediction:........................

10,000m
Kenenisa Bekele. Too fast for Haile Gebrselassie.
Your prediction:........................

Marathon
Gezahegne Abera. Proven championship winner.
Your prediction:........................

110m hurdles
Stanislavs Olijars. The coming man.
Your prediction:........................

400m hurdles
Felix Sanchez. Too good for the rest.
Your prediction:........................

3000m steeplechase
Ezekiel Kemboi. In a home straight sprint.
Your prediction:........................

4x100m relay
USA. Easy choice.
Your prediction:........................

4x400m relay
Jamaica. With France in second.
Your prediction:........................

High jump
Germaine Mason. From Stefan Holm.
Your prediction:........................

Long jump
Dwight Phillips. Persuaded me in a lift.
Your prediction:........................

Pole vault
Romain Mesnil. Frenchman on home soil.
Your prediction:........................

Triple jump
Christian Olsson. Easy choice.
Your prediction:........................

Shot put
Yuriy Bilonog. Does it when it matters.
Your prediction:........................

Discus
Virgilijus Alekna. Lithuanian powerhouse.
Your prediction:........................

Hammer
Koji Murofushi. Japanese hero.
Your prediction:........................

Javelin
Sergey Makarov. Too strong for Zelezny and Backley.
Your prediction:........................

Decathlon
Roman Sebrle. Best in the world.
Your prediction:........................

WOMEN

100m
Kelli White. It's a hunch.
Your prediction:........................

200m
Torri Edwards. American dream.
Your prediction:........................

400m
Ana Guevara. Miles in front.
Your prediction:........................

800m
Maria Mutola. See above.
Your prediction:........................

1500m
Sureyya Ayhan. And again.
Your prediction:........................

5000m
Gabi Szabo. Looked good in Zurich.
Your prediction:........................

10,000m
Berhane Adere. Too good for the others.
Your prediction:........................

Marathon
Catherine Ndereba. Too fast for the field.
Your prediction:........................

100m hurdles
Gail Devers. A phenomenon.
Your prediction:........................

400m hurdles
Jana Pittman. A rising star.
Your prediction:........................

4x100m relay
USA. No-brainer.
Your prediction:........................

4x400m relay
Russia. Strength in depth.
Your prediction:........................

High jump
Hestrie Cloete. Kajsa Bergqvist is not at her best.
Your prediction:........................

Long jump
Tatyana Kotova. Russians to dominate.
Your prediction:........................

Pole vault
Yelena Isinbayeva. She has it all.
Your prediction:........................

Triple jump
Francoise Mbango Etone. In the absence of Ashia and Aldama.
Your prediction:........................

Shot put
Svetlana Krivelyova. World leader.
Your prediction:........................

Discus
Natalya Sadova. Leads world rankings by big margin.
Your prediction:........................

Hammer
Yipsi Moreno. Cuba's heroine.
Your prediction:........................

Javelin
Osleidys Menendez. Reigning champion.
Your prediction:........................

Heptathlon
Carolina Kluft. Edging out French favourite Eunice Barber.
Your prediction:........................