The IAAF World Championships is second only to the Olympics in terms of prestige.

Here are the events you can’t afford to miss at the Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing.

The action will be shown on SBS 2 and Eurosport (Foxtel). For a full broadcast guide click here.

Men’s 100m final, 23:15 (AEST), Sunday, August 23: Billed as the ultimate sporting contest between good (charismatic Jamaican Usain Bolt) and evil (two-time drug cheat Justin Gatlin from the US). Gatlin is unbeaten in 27 races this year but Bolt can draw on the memories of his three-gold Olympic haul at the Bird’s Nest back in 2008

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Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. Photo: Getty

Women’s 100m final, 23:35 (AEST), Monday, August 24: The latest instalment in the long women’s sprint rivalry between the US and Jamaica. In the Caribbean corner – Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Sherone Simpson. Representing the US – the new generation including Tori Bowie and the curiously named English Gardner. Australian Melissa Breen needs to take the next step on the world stage

Men’s 800m final, 22:55 (AEST), Tuesday, August 25: Botswana’s Nijel Amos took down Kenyan legend David Rudisha at last year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and would dearly love to repeat the feat on the world stage. They will both need to beware of Amel Tuka from Bosnia-Herzegovina, who leads the world rankings. Australia will be represented by Jeff Riseley and Joshua Ralph

Women’s 100m hurdles final, 23:35 (AEST), Friday, August 28: Such is her disappointment at missing Beijing through injury, Sally Pearson has vowed not to watch much of the world titles. But it will be fascinating to see which member of the five-strong American contingent including evergreen Dawn Harper-Nelson and Sharika Nelvis steps up and lays down a marker for the Rio Olympics. Michelle Jenneke is flying the Australian flag

Men’s high jump final, 20:30 (AEST), Sunday, August 30: This event has pretty much everything a promoter could want – a swag of stars headed by Qatari Mutaz Essa Barshim inching towards the longstanding world record of 2.45m, a genuine hometown medal hope in Guowei Zhang and two young Australians in Brandon Starc and Joel Baden

– with AAP