Qatar's Mutaz Barshim qualify for high jump finals in Beijing

With four former winners of this title plus the London 2012 Olympic Games champion, and a clutch of men who have also snared global medals, all lined up to compete in a top quality qualification session this was always going to make for compelling viewing on a sunny Friday morning and so it proved.

Throw in too, the odd question mark about the form and fitness of Ukraine's defending champion Bohdan Bondarenko and Qatar's 2015 world leader and 2014 world indoor champion Mutaz Essa Barshim and this was one qualifier not to be missed.

Barshim, who has recently suffered a dip in form, answered any doubts by banking the automatic qualification standard of 2.31m with first time clearances.

Barshim suffered a minor scare with a failed first time attempt at 2.29m, but readjusted to comfortably clear with his second attempt and look in fine from ahead of Sunday's final.

In a high-class qualification session, nine men successfully cleared the automatic qualification standard, led by home favourite Zhang Guowei, who enjoyed a perfect record up to and including 2.31m and delighted the crowd with his eccentric post-jump celebrations.

The only other man in qualification to boast a 100 per cent was Canada's Olympic and world championship medallist Derek Drouin, who also looks like a solid medal challenger this time around as well, especially in the wake of his Pan American Games win last month. [iaaf.org]