Doha, May 9,2008-9- The queen of Tracking field, Allyson Felix, making what is almost a traditional start to her individual outdoor season, defends her 100 metres and 400 metres titles in Friday's Doha Super Grand Prix.

The world 200m champion thought at one stage she would be an absentee from the first big meet on the summer's IAAF World Athletics Tour because it clashed with her college graduation at the University of South California.

Her performances particularly in the 400m, will be closely watched, as it is understood it could become her number one event.

"I've run three meets this season but my season will officially begin in Doha," said Felix who has competed at big relay events in the United States.

"I was unsure if I would be able to run, because there might have been a conflict with my graduation at USC, (but) I found out that Doha and my graduation were on different days, which was great because I didn't want to miss either.

"This is my fourth time competing at this meet and it's become a bit of a tradition for me to open my season here."

Asafa Powell may be missing the meeting with a chest injury, but a fast 200m is predicted with lots of attention being focused on Europe's fastest man last year Saidy Ndure.

The naturalised Norwegian will have to be at his very best if he is to thwart the challenges of last summer's world 400m gold and silver-medallists Jeremy Wariner and LaShawn Merritt.

The pair of US stars may be stepping down in distance but will fancy their chances in a field which also includes this year's world 60m champion Olusoji Fasuba from Nigeria.