Bejing:: India's three heptathletes, two discus throwers and a 10 miler will hit the Bird's Nest as athletics, the blue riband event, gets underway at the Beijing Olympics on Friday.
In the morning, the heptathlete trio of JJ Shobha, Susmita Singha Roy and GG Pramila will hit the track for 100m hurdles, followed by high jump, and then return in the afternoon for two other events -- shot put and 200m race.
Discus throwers Harwant Kaur and Krishna Poonia will also be in action as they sweat it out in the heats of the qualifying session.
"I have worked hard under my coach (former Olympic champion) Mac Wilkins and that helped me improve a lot. I hope it shows tomorrow," said Poonia, who has been consistent with her regular podium finish at the Asian Grand Prix.
Meanwhile, Preeja Sridharan, who will fight it out in the 10,000m final on Friday, said all she wanted to do was to better the national record.
"Medal is an absurd dream but I would put my best foot forward tomorrow and would be happy to better the national record," said the runner from Kerala.
In heptathlon, Shobha will hope for a better luck this time than the one she had in Athens where the Indian tore her ligament in javelin and still gallantly completed the event.
Overall, with defending champion Carolina Kluft quitting heptathlon and focussing in long jump and triple jump, the field is wide open and Britain's Kelly Sotherton looks to have the best pedigree to succeed Kluft.
Javelin, however, remains her Achilles' heel and that offers ample hopes for American Hyleas Fountain, who boasts of a best aggregate score (6,667) of the year.
Russian Tatiana Chernova is also fancying her chances, while Austra Skujyte of Lithuania, German Lilli Schwarzkopf and Russian Olga Kurban would only make it an intense battle for the podium.
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