The World Championships start in Doha on Friday with Great Britain’s hopes hinging on a select few stars.

Here, the PA news agency looks at those who carry the biggest threat for the GB squad in Qatar.

Zharnel Hughes

IAAF London Diamond League – Day One – London Stadium
Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes is hunting 100m and 200m gold. (John Walton/PA)

The 24-year-old won the 100 metres European title last year but the World Championships is a step up.

Favourite Christian Coleman runs after avoiding a ban and defending champion Justin Gatlin, Andre De Grasse and Yohan Blake all carry their own threat.

With no Usain Bolt, who retired after London 2017, it is a more open field – although Hughes will have to improve after failing to sparkle at the British trials.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson

Muller British Athletics Championships – Day Two – Alexander Stadium
Katarina Johnson-Thompson will battle defending champion Nafi Thiam. (David Davies/PA)

KJT came second in the heptathlon to Olympic champion Nafi Thiam at the European Championships last year in a world-class field.

She proved her global credentials in Berlin as the move to Montpellier in early 2017 continues to pay off.

Belgium’s Thiam remain the one to beat but Johnson-Thompson has been the heir-apparent to Jessica Ennis-Hill and can push the defending champion all the way.

Dina Asher-Smith

The triple European champion is ready to challenge for gold as she competes in the 100m and 200m.

Asher-Smith finished fourth in the 200m with a brilliant run in 2017 – despite an injury-hit build-up after breaking her foot in February.

More will be expected in Doha – especially with main rival Shaunae Miller-Uibo only running the 400m with the schedule not allowing her to compete in the 200m.

Laura Muir

2020 Tokyo Olympics 1 Year To Go Package
Great Britain’s Laura Muir suffered an injury scare in the build-up to Doha. (Ian Rutherford/PA)

A torn calf muscle at the Anniversary Games in London in July has hit the Scot’s preparations for Doha.

Muir, with five European gold medals, missed the British Championships last month and has played catch up.

However, the 26-year-old is still one of the best in the world and as long as she can overcome the injury a maiden 1500m world title is not out of the question.

Adam Gemili

The sprinter is out to prove he is not just a relay runner and revealed last month he keeps a list of quotes from critics as inspiration.

Gemili, who lost out on Olympic 200m bronze in 2016 by three thousandths of a second, has been in good form and won the 200m at the British Championship in a championship record time of 20.08 seconds.

It is almost hard to believe he is still only 25 but, with the Olympics next year, time is ticking away.