DOHA DEBATE: Muhammad, McLaughlin tussle for 400m hurdles crown

Andre Lowe: OK, we’ve already seen some really top-class performances in Doha at the World Championships and another highly anticipated event is the women’s 400m hurdles clash between world record holder Dalilah Muhammad and her country woman Sydney McLaughlin.

Raymond Graham: Most attention is being centred around the men ‘s 400m hurdles, but this one is just as good and could even prove to be better.

AL: Muhammad comes in with the slight edge after her world- record run, but McLaughlin registered a big win over her rival in their last meeting and will come into this one with a lot of confidence in her ability to get the gold medal here.

RG: The Americans look set to dominate this one as Ashley Spencer cannot be written off, and we all saw what happened two years ago when there was an unlikely winner in the event.

AL: Yes, this is an event that will certainly bring a lot of success for the US athletes. It’s really hard to see the medals going anywhere else, to be honest.

These three are the only athletes to dip below 54 seconds this season and are simply better than everyone else.I am, however, picking Muhammad to take the gold medal here and hold off McLaughlin into silver, with Spencer crossing the line in third.

RG: Based on her world-record run recently Muhammad is very confident coming into the championships but remember at the Diamond League finals she was only third.

McLaughlin of all the athletes here has the fastest 400m speed and following her brilliant win at the Diamond League final I expect her to go all the way here and lead an American sweep of the top three, as the Olympic champion and record holder will have to settle for silver, with Spencer getting the bronze.