The Golden League gets underway in Berlin on Sunday with Jeremy Wariner, Irving Saladino, Janeth Jepkosgei, Susanna Kallur and Blanka Vlasic the leading contenders to land the $1million jackpot.

Men

100m: World champion Tyson Gay is not coming to Europe before the US Olympic trials, world record holder Asafa Powell is injured and world leader Usain Bolt will compete in New York rather than Berlin. Without these names the only remaining possible candidate is world silver medalist Derrick Atkins who runs in Berlin and Oslo. But it will tough for him to repeat the potential early wins in July.

400m: Here is one of the real jackpot chances. World and Olympic winner Jeremy Wariner is going to run the whole series. Nevertheless LaShawn Merritt who has the fastest time in the world this year could be a strong rival.

1500m: World champion Bernard Lagat will stay in the US before the trials and other top names are also giving more priority to Olympic preparations. Last year this event had five different winners in six races and it could be the same this year. Kenyans Augustin Choge and Daniel Kipchirchir Komen are names to watch in the first two meetings.

400m Hurdles: World champion Kerron Clement will also not come to Europe before the US Trials. The other two Osaka medallists Felix Sanchez and Marek Plawgo are going to race along with 2005 world title holder Bershawn Jackson.

Long Jump: World champion Irving Saladino of Panama is another real possibility after his great 8.73m leap in Hengelo. He has not lost since 2006.

Javelin: Tero Pitkamäki and Andreas Thorkildsen, the top two from Osaka, will battle for the jackpot as last year. World gold medalist Pitkamaki won four and Olympic champion Thorkildsen two meetings.

Women

200m: With Olympic winner Veronica Campbell-Brown and world champion Allyson Felix not coming to Europe until June it does not look for a genuine jackpot candidate. Maybe a chance for Europeans Kim Gevaert and Christine Arron?

800m: World champion Janeth Jepkosgei of Kenya will run the series and is a real possibility. Even more because world indoor leader Yelena Soboleva of Russia is not planning any big meetings before the Russian Championships in mid-July and world junior record holder Pamela Jelimo will stay in Kenya.

100m Hurdles: Sweden's world indoor record holder Susanna Kallur is the big name to run in this event and has a good chance. World champion Michelle Perry injured herself in Modesto and so the chances for the European champion are even greater.

High Jump: World champion Blanka Vlasic has the longest winning streak amongst active athletes and that means she is also a real candidate for the jackpot. Her chances are even higher because Olympic winner Yelena Slesarenko has confirmed she will not start to compete until July.

EME / Eurosport