SEVERAL members of Bahrain's athletics delegation will be leaving for Japan today to prepare for the World Athletics Championships, which will be held from August 25 in the city of Osaka.

The delegation will be headed by Bahrain Athletics Association (BAA) president Shaikh Talal bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, who will be attending the IAAF council meeting prior to opening day.

The departing delegation includes general secretary Abdulrahman Askar, board members Khalid Al Khayyat and Mohammed Ali, technical director Lounes Madene, team administrator Ali Al Sherooqi, fitness trainer Sa'ad Al Buainain, coach Tadjine Noureddine and Bahraini golden girl Ruqaya Al Ghasra.

Bahrain's other athletes will be arriving separately in Japan. A team of five or six athletes will be arriving tomorrow at the city of Kameyama from Switzerland for a several days' training camp, while others will be reaching Japan on separate dates starting from August 20.

One of the athletes is defending double world champion Rashid Ramzi, who will be flying directly to Japan on the 20th rather than travelling through Bahrain. Ramzi is one of a record 13 Bahraini athletes that have qualified for the world championships.