Denmark's former Kenyan Wilson Kipketer will try to erase the oldest and most prestigious world record from the books in Zurich tonight and, with it, the name of one of the greatest middle-distance runners ever - Britain's Sebastian Coe. After equalling Coe's world record of one minute 41.73 seconds for the 800 metres in Stockholm earlier in the season, the double world champion will run in the most lucrative grand prix meeting seeking to make history and more than $130,000.
Last week Kipketer made the defence of his world 800 metres title in Athens in 1:43.38 look easy. With the help of pacemakers and a still warm night, the 26year-old should be in a good position to take the record into new territory.
Kipketer was just a 10-year-old when Coe breezed around a track in Florence to set the world record in June 1981 with one of the most astonishing middle-distance performances of all time.
Twice last season Kipketer, who went to live in Denmark in 1990, neared the world record after missing the Atlanta Olympics because he was not cleared to run for his adopted country.
There is a feeling in the athletics world - shared by Coe - that it is only a matter of time before he betters Coe's mark. From his bank manager's point of view, there is no better place to produce a world record than at the Weltklasse meeting.
Organisers of the Zurich event are reluctant to announce world record attempts in advance. But the financial incentive is always there.
A world record is worth $50,000 in cash plus one kilo of gold. Kipketer could expect to earn a fee of at least $80,000 for just stepping out on to the track. In addition, his shoe sponsors would be expected to give him a huge bonus for breaking new ground in the sport.
Some 25 champions, 22 silver and 20 bronze medallists from the World Championships are scheduled to compete in a meeting known on the circuit as the "the Olympics in one night".
Donovan Bailey's 100 metres world record of 9.84 seconds could also be in danger when the Canadian takes on newly-crowned world champion Maurice Greene in a field containing seven of the eight finalists from Athens.
Bailey is hoping to compete despite hurting a groin muscle when he anchored Canada to their sprint relay triumph at the weekend.
Greene and Ato Boldon have a chance to make more than $18,000 per second by smashing the 100 metres world record. American Greene and Trinidad's Boldon, the 200 champion, yesterday disclosed that they have both been offered double the usual world record bonus of $50,000. With both likely to pick up an estimated $80,000 for just appearing, one of them could walk away over $180,000 richer if Bailey's record is broken.
American women's sprint champion Marion Jones will also take on a high-class field over 100 metres which includes former world champions Gwen Torrence and Gail Devers.
There should also be a fascinating battle in the 5,000 metres between Kenya's world champion Daniel Komen and Ethiopia's Haile Gebrselassie who set the world record of 12:44.39 on the same track two years ago.
Komen said on Monday that the race was too soon after his triumph in Athens on Sunday for a world record. But, if conditions are good, Zurich regulars know that history can be made at any moment.
