Steve Smythe reveals his updated picks of the women's events 100 days before the start of the Tokyo Games

At the beginning of the year AW made some Olympic predictions. We updated them after the 2021 indoor season and now with 100 days to the start of the Olympics we see if the early outdoor season has changed anything.

We also see how our picks compare with those of the American publication Track and Field News and they are in brackets.

For the men's predictions CLICK here.

Women's 100m

Sha'Carri Richardson is out on her own on the 2021 world lists and that 10.72 run has propelled her from outsider to one of the big favourites.

1 Elaine Thompson-Herah (JAM) 10.71 (TFN1)

2 Sha'Carri Richardson (USA) 10.73 (TFN3)

3 Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM) 10.79 (TFN2)

4 Dina Asher-Smith (GBR); 5 Ajla Del Ponte (SUI); 6 Blessing Okagbare (NGR); 7 Kemba Nelson (JAM); 8 Marie Josée Ta Lou (CIV)

200m

Shaunae Miller-Uibo already heads the world lists with 22.03 and is expected to go with this event rather than her Olympic winning distance.

1 Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH) 21.64 (TFN1)

2 Dina Asher-Smith (GBR) 21.75 (TFN2)

3 Elaine Thompson-Herah (JAM) 21.84 (TFN3)

4 Dafne Schippers (NED); 5 Briana Williams (JAM); 6 Sha'Carri Richardson (USA); 7 Abby Steiner (USA); 8 Mujinga Kambundji (SUI)

400m

This is not to easy to predict with world champion Salwa Eid Naser possibly barred after missing anti-doping tests and Miller-Uibo probably focussing on the 200m.

The new spanner in the works are the reported performances of Namibian 17-year-old ranking-toppers Christine Mboma (49.24) and Beatrice Masilingi (49.53) which suggests they will be medal contenders if their performances are genuine. We stick with Allyson Felix for now but there is no guarantee she will actually go for this event.

1 Allyson Felix (USA) 49.25

2 Beatrice Masilingi (NAM) 49.36

3 Christine Mboma (NAM) 49.40

4 Shericka Jackson (JAM) 49.70; 5 Wadeline Jonathas (USA) (TFN3); 6 Aissa Issa Seyni (NIG); 7 Quanera Hayes (USA); 8 Stephenie Ann McPherson (JAM). NB Salwa Eid Naser (BRN) (TFN1), Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH) (TFN2)

800m

Ajee’ Wilson (1:58.93) heads the rankings and remains the favourite from the indoor season.

1 Ajee’ Wilson (USA) (TFN1)

2 Athing Mu (USA)

3 Halimah Nakaayi (UGA)

4 Raevyn Rogers (USA); 5 Jemma Reekie (GBR) (TFN2); 6 Keely Hodgkinson (GBR); 7 Habitam Alemu (ETH); 8 Natoya Goule (JAM) (TFN3)

1500m

Linden Hall leads the world outdoors (3:59.67) but the indoor season confirmed Gudaf Tsegay will be a huge favourite based on her world record form.

1 Gudaf Tsegay (ETH) (TFN1)

2 Faith Kipyegon (KEN) (TFN2)

3 Sifan Hassan (NED)

4 Genzebe Dibaba (ETH); 5 Laura Muir (GBR) (TFN3); 6 Jenny Simpson (USA); 7 Gabriela DeBues-Stafford (CAN); 8 Linden Hall (AUS)

5000m

Gudaf Tsegay (14:49.7 at high altitude) heads the rankings but is expected to focus on the 1500m with a double made near impossible by bizarre scheduling and that could also rule out the likes of Hassan, Dibaba and Kipyegon.

Double world champion Hellen Obiri remains favourite.

1 Hellen Obiri (KEN) 14:24.55 (TFN1)

2 Letesenbet Gidey (ETH) (TFN3)

3 Konstanze Klosterhalfen (GER)

4 Agnes Tirop (KEN); 5 Shelby Houlihan (USA); 6 Lemlem Hailu (ETH); 7 Laura Weightman (GBR); 8 Margaret Kipkemboi (KEN). NB Sifan Hassan (NED) (TFN2)

10,000m

American Elise Cranny (30:47.42) is a temporary world leader but we stick with 5000m world record-holder Letesenbet Gidey over her Doha conqueror Sifan Hassan.

1 Letesenbet Gidey (ETH) 29:16.50 (TFN2)

2 Sifan Hassan (NED) 29:20.65 (TFN1)

3 Hellen Obiri (KEN) 29:45.75

4 Konstanze Klosterhalfen (GER); 5 Hitomi Niiya (JPN); 6 Agnes Tirop (KEN) (TFN3); 7 Rosemary Wanjiru (KEN); 8 Sarah Chelangat (UGA)

Marathon

World marathon champion Ruth Chepngetich probably did enough with her stunning 64:02 half-marathon world record in April to be regarded as favourite over marathon record-holder Brigid Kosgei.

1 Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) 2:17:05 (TFN1)

2 Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 2:17:45 (TFN2)

3 Vivian Cheryuiot or Peres Jepchirchir (KEN) 2:18:30 (TFN3)

4 Birhane Dibaba (ETH); 5 Mao Ichiyama (JPN); 6 Sara Hall (USA); 7 Worknesh Degefa (ETH); 8 Honami Maeda (JPN)

3000m steeplechase

Zhang Xinyan (9:20.32) is another topping the world now but won't be later

1 Beatrice Chepkoech (KEN) 8:48.65 (TFN1)

2 Emma Coburn (USA) 8:57.65 (TFN3)

3 Hyvin Jepkemoi (KEN) 8:58.23 (TFN2)

4 Gesa-Felicitas Krause (GER); 5 Norah Tanui (KEN); 6 Maruša Mišmaš-Zrimsek (SLO); 7 Anna Emilie Møller (DEN); 8 Winfred Yavi (BRN)

100m hurdles

Much-improved Aussie Elizabeth Clay (12.72) is the legal world leader for now but won't challenge the Americans, who may be led by world record-holder Kendra Harrison who has already run a windy 12.38 in 2021. The wind-assisted runs of Cindy Sember (12.55) and Tiffany Porter (12.58) moves them into contention.

1 Kendra Harrison (USA) 12.35 (TFN1)

2 Danielle Williams (JAM) 12.40 (TFN2)

3 Nadine Visser (NED) 12.46 (TFN3)

4 Nia Ali (USA); 5 Christine Clemons (USA); 6 Brittany Anderson (JAM); 7 Janeek Brown (JAM); Cindy Sember (GBR)

400m hurdles

The 2016 world junior champion Anna Cockrell (55.65) is the world leader but she might need a sub-53 just to make the US team!

1 Sydney McLaughlin (USA) 52.30 (TFN1)

2 Dalilah Muhammad (USA) (TFN2)

3 Femke Bol (NED)

4 Shamier Little (USA) (TFN3); 5 Rushell Clayton (JAM); 6 Janieve Russell (JAM); 7 Lea Sprunger (SUI); 8 Sage Watson (CAN)

High jump

Outdoors Vashti Cunningham (1.97m) heads the lists but hardly challenges the indoor form of Yaroslava Mahuchikh.

1 Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) 2.06m (TFN1)

2 Mariya Lasitskene (ANA) 2.03m (TFN2)

3 Yuliya Levchenko (UKR) 2.00m

4 Iryna Herashchenko (UKR); 5 Vashti Cunningham (USA) (TFN3); 6 Eleanor Patterson (AUS); 7 Nicola McDermott (AUS); 8 Ella Junnila (FIN)

Pole vault

Nina Kennedy's Australian summer form of 4.82m brings her into contention.

1 Anzhelika Sidorova (ANA) 5.00m (TFN1)

2 Sandi Morris (USA) 4.90m (TFN2)

3 Ekaterini Stefanidi (GRE) 4.85m (TFN3)

4 Nina Kennedy (AUS); 5 Katie Nageotte (USA); 6 Holly Bradshaw (GBR); 7 Eliza McCartney (NZL); 8 Angelica Moser (SUI)

Long jump

NCAA Indoor champion Tara Davis (7.14m) has already jumped big outdoors in what might be the most competitive events in Japan.

1 Malaika Mihambo (GER) 7.15m (TFN2)

2 Tara Davis (USA) 7.12m (TFN3)

3 Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk (UKR) 7.08m (TFN1)

4 Larissa Iapichino (ITA); 5 Brittney Reese (USA); 6 Ivana Španović (SRB); 7 Khaddi Sagnia (SWE); 8 Nastassia Mironchyk-Ivanova (BLR)

Triple jump

The 2019 Doha runner-up Shanieka Ricketts (14.63m) tops the world outdoor lists but the World champion Yulimar Rojas remains a big favourite.

1 Yulimar Rojas (VEN) 15.34m (TFN1)

2 Caterine Ibarguen (COL) 14.85m (TFN2)

3 Shanieka Ricketts (JAM) 14.80m (TFN3)

4 Liadagmis Povea (CUB); 5 Paraskeví Papahrístou (GRE); 6 Patrícia Mamona (POR); 7 Keturah Orji (USA); 8 Thea Lafond (DMA)

Shot

Multi global champion Valerie Adams has returned to form with a 19.65m world lead and is our favourite if healthy.

1 Valerie Adams (NZL) 20.01m

2 Gong Lijiao (CHN) 19.88m (TFN1)

3 Auriole Dongmo (POR) 19.75m (TFN2)

4 Danniel Thomas-Dodd (JAM) (TFN3); 5 Raven Saunders (USA); 6 Fanny Roos (SWE); 7 Chase Ealey (USA); 8 Sophie McKinna (GBR)

Discus

World champion Yaimé Pérez (67.73m) tops the world rankings.

1 Sandra Perkovic (CRO) 68.98m (TFN2)

2 Yaimé Pérez (CUB) 68.45m (TFN1)

3 Valarie Allman (USA) 67.00m (TFN3)

4 Denia Caballero (CUB); 5 Dani Stevens (AUS); 6 Chen Yang (CHN); 7 Claudine Vita (GER); 8 Feng Bin (CHN)

Hammer

World champion Deanna Price heads the rankings with her US record 78.60m last weekend and in the current absence of defending champion Anita Wlodarczyk we have changed our selection.

1 Deanna Price (USA) 79.50m (TFN2)

2 Anita Wlodarczyk (POL) 79.32m (TFN1)

3 Alexandra Tavernier (FRA) 76.50m (TFN3)

4 Brooke Andersen (USA); 5 Joanna Fiodorow (POL); 6 Wang Zheng (CHN); 7 Lauren Bruce (NZL); 8 Sophie Hitchon (GBR)

Javelin

Lu Huihui, who has won medals in the last three World Championships, tops the world lists (66.55m) and stays our favourite.

1 Lu Huihui (CHN) 67.60m (TFN1)

2 Sara Kolak (CRO) 66.84m

3 Lui Shiying (CHN) 66.22m (TFN2)

4 Kelsey Lee Barber (AUS); 5 Barbora Špotáková (CZE); 6 Tatsiana Khaladovich (BLR) (TFN3); 7 Christin Hussong (GER): 8 Nikola Ogrodníková (CZE)

Heptathlon

Katarina Johnson-Thompson winter injury contrasts with the good form of European indoor champion and defending champion Nafissatou Thiam in what should be a two-way battle.

1 Nafissatou Thiam (BEL) 7020 (TFN1)

2 Katarina Johnson-Thompson (GBR) 6967 (TFN2)

3 Erica Bougard (USA) 6850

4 Tyra Gittens (TTO); 5 Kendell Williams (USA) (TFN3); 6 Ivona Dadic (AUT); 7 Niamh Emerson (GBR); 8 Xénia Krizsán (HUN)

20km walk

The 2017 world champion Yang Jiayu's 1:23:49 March world record makes her the favourite.

1 Yang Jiayu (CHN) 1:24:20 (TFN1)

2 Liu Hong (CHN) 1:24:45 (TFN2)

3 Qieyang Shenjie (CHN) 1:24:52

4 Yelena Lashmanova (ANA); 5 Estefanía Morejón (ECU); 6 Kumiko Okada (JPN); 7 Nanako Fujii (JPN); 8 Erica de Sena (BRA). NB Reykhan Kagramanova (ANA) (TFN3)

4x100m relay

Star Athletics of USA have the world lead for now with a 42.70 but Jamaica are probably favourites but individually US runners have looked in better form thus far in 2021.

1 Jamaica 41.50

2 USA 41.62

3 Great Britain 41.88

4 Germany; 5 Switzerland; 6 Trinidad; 7 China; 8 Netherlands

4x400m relay

A mixed nation mostly US Arkansas team (3:26.63) temporarily top the lists and USA should win in Tokyo by some distance.

1 USA 3:17.67

2 Jamaica 3:19.85

3 Poland 3:22.65

4 Great Britain; 5 Netherlands; 6 Canada; 7 Italy; 8 Ukraine

Mixed 4x400m relay

The most infrequently contested Olympic event on the current programme has a Chinese team top with an embarrassingly slow 3:30.03 but the rankings will be revised as the season progresses.

1 USA 3:07.68

2 Jamaica 3:09.01

3 Netherlands 3:09.36

4 Bahamas; 5 Great Britain; 6 Poland; 7 Belgium; 8 Brazil

For the men's predictions CLICK here.