Amare is the fastest of the three but, as last weekend proved, Doha’s high temperatures are making the results of the road races particularly difficult to predict. Even in the latter stages of the women’s midnight marathon a week ago, held in a stifling 32°C with 70 per cent humidity, Israel’s Lonah Chemtai Salpeter remained within reach of the leaders in fifth place until she was forced to drop out 10 kilometres short of the finish.

Only 40 of the 68 starters managed to complete the race, prompting widespread criticism that it had been held at all in such risky conditions.

The other members of Israel’s women’s team at the championships did not progress beyond their event heats. In the comparative comfort of the air-conditioned stadium, Diana Vaisman posted 11.39 for the 100m, while Adva Cohen’s 9:42.92 for the 3000m steeplechase, whilst by no means the slowest, was some 12 seconds off the time that would have taken her through to the final.

Australia team captain Steve Solomon reached the semi-finals of the 400m as one of the fastest non-automatic qualifiers with a time of 45.82 but he did not reach the final.

Team-mate Jemima Montag, 21, placed a creditable tenth in a starting field of 45 athletes.