IAAF President Lamine Diack spoke to the press ahead of the IAAF World Indoor Championships, which begins tomorrow (7) in the Polish city of Sopot.

With just the winners of the three heats guaranteed a place in Sunday s final, and only three fastest loser spots, there was little room for error for the leading contenders and no luxury of easing the foot off the gas.

Ashton Eaton has already won everything in combined events competitions. But there is still plenty to aim at, including a fourth straight world indoor record and a second gold medal at the IAAF World Indoor Championships this weekend in Sopot.

All three heats in the men s 800m first round were won ion very similar fashion, with the eventual winner hitting the front at the bell and holding off all their rivals.

Bruny Surin, Allen Johnson and Natallia Dobrynska are Ambassadors to the IAAF World Indoor Championships Sopot 2014 and all were present at the traditional pre-event press conference ahead of the biggest athletics event of the year on Thursday (6).

For a brief moment during the first morning session of the 2014 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Sopot, it looked as though two-time world indoor champion Blanka Vlasic would not make it into the high jump final.