The 15th World Championships get underway on Saturday. We look at some of the standout events on each of the nine days of competition in Beijing.

Day 1 - Saturday 22 August

Men's Marathon - World record holder Dennis Kimetto will be among a strong Kenyan contingent aiming to win the first medal of the World Championships. Kimetto, compatriot Wilson Kipsang and Paris Marathon winner Mark Korir make up a strong Kenyan team. Lelisa Desisa looks to be the pick of the Ethiopian runners who could also be in contention for gold.

Men's 10,000 metres final - Mo Farah has taken on all comers since failing to win the 10,000m at the 2011 World Championships, winning over 5,000m in Daegu in 2011 before claiming a 5,000m and 10,000m double at the London 2012 Olympic Games and 2013 Worlds in Moscow a year later. Paul Tanui and Geoffrey Kamworor will attempt to deny the Brit as he attempts to become the first athlete to win an unprecedented sixth consecutive global track distance gold.

Day 2 - Sunday 23 August

Men's 100 metres final - All eyes will be on Usain Bolt as the legendary sprinter targets yet another title in the blue riband event of the Championships. Justin Gatlin has been tipped to dethrone the Jamaican world record holder at the Bird's Nest, but Bolt will take some beating on the track where he won three gold medals in the 2008 Olympics and also broke the world record over 100m and 200m.

Day 3 – Monday 24 August

Women's 100 metres final - Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has been back to her best this year and the Jamaican is the favourite to win her third World Championships 100m gold. The two-time Olympic champion over 100m has clocked the fastest time of the year - 10.74 seconds - and will be expected to triumph once again, with Dafne Schippers and Tori Bowie among her rivals.

Women's 10,000 metres final - Vivian Cheruiyot will aim to take advantage of the absence of Tirunesh Dibaba to claim gold over 10,000 metres, with Gelete Burka heading up a new-look Ethiopia team. Sally Kipyego and Betsy Saina complete a strong Kenya line-up.

Day 4 – Tuesday 25 August

Men's 800 metres final - David Rudisha missed out in Moscow two years ago due to injury, but the world record-holder will get the chance to regain his title on Tuesday. Amel Tuka and Nijel Amos are among the other contenders for gold. 

Women's 1500 metres final - Genzebe Dibaba broke the world record at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco and given she is unbeaten this year, it is difficult to see past the Ethiopian - who will also go for gold in the 5,000m.

Men's 400 metres hurdles final - Defending champion Jehue Gordon has been out of sorts this year, so the American quartet of Bershawn Jackson, Johnny Dutch, Michael Tinsley and Kerron Clement will fancy their chances of taking his crown on Tuesday evening. 

Day 5 – Wednesday 26 August

Women's 400 metres hurdles - Kaliese Spencer was disqualified in the heats in Moscow, so the Jamaican will be determined to make up for that heartbreak this time around as she targets her first World Championship title. Zuzana Hejnova will attempt to become the first woman to win back-to-back World Championship titles in this event. 

Men's 400 metres final - Wayde van Niekerk has emerged as a contender to rival Kirani James and LaShawn Merritt in what promises to be a thrilling 400 metres final.

Day 6 – Thursday 27 August

Women's 400 metres - There will be no Francena McCorory or Sanya Richards-Ross after they failed to qualify, so Allyson Felix would have every right to feel to feel bullish over her chances of claiming her first global title over a lap of the circuit. Christine Ohuruogu will be the first woman to win the 400m title three times if she crosses the line first.

Men's 200 metres - Bolt and Gatlin will renew their rivalry again over 200m, with the former striving for a fourth consecutive title over this distance four days after they are due to go head-to-head in the 100m.

Day 7 – Friday 28 August

Women's 200 metres final - With Felix opting against competing in the 200m and defending champion Fraser-Pryce not certain to compete over this distance as well as the 100m, Schippers, Elaine Thompson and Candyce McGrone will aim to make their presence felt. 

Men's 110 metres hurdles final - There will be no Orlando Ortega in the blocks in Beijing, so David Oliver will be favoured to defend his title. Olympic champion and fellow American Aries Merritt will also be in the hunt for gold and Omar McLeod, the fastest in the field this year, is also a threat.

Women's 100 metres hurdles final - With Sharika Nelvis, Dawn Harper-Nelson, Kendra Harrison and Brianna Rollins representing the USA, the podium could well be filled by three athletes from the same nation. 

Day 8 – Saturday 29 August

Men's 5,000 metres final - Farah could be going for another famous long-distance double when he takes to the track to try and become the first man to win this event three times. Hagos Gebrhiwet and Isiah Koech will line up against the Brit once again, with the former having already got the better of Farah this season.

Women's 800 metres final - Eunice Sum sprung a surprise to claim gold in Moscow, but she will certainly not be an unknown quantity this time around. Sum is unbeaten this year and will aim to continue that record at the expense of the likes of Selina Buchel and Rose Mary Almanza.

The men's and women's 4x100 metres relay finals will be the final two events of the day.

Day 9 – Sunday 30 August

Women's 5,000 metres final - Dibaba will be hoping to have the 1500m title in the bag by the time she hears the gun on the final day of competition and will be hoping fatigue does not play a part as she attempts to leave the likes of arch-rival Almaz Ayana trailing in her wake.

Men's 1500 metres final - Asbel Kiprop has won the last two World Championship titles over 1500m and it would be no surprise at all if he completed a hat-trick.  Taoufik Makhloufi will be among those striving to end the outstanding Keynan's dominance, along with Kiprop's compatriot Silas Kiplagat and world indoor champion Ayanleh Souleiman.

The men's and women's 4x400 metres relay finals wrap up the action on the final day of competition.