Temperatures this week in Seville -- referred to as ``the frying pan'' by Spaniards -- have reached 40 degrees celsius, and tomorrow's 26.2-mile race starts at 6:45 p.m. local time, just about the hottest time of the day.

``I don't think I have ever gone up against something like this,'' said Spain's Martin Fiz, a 36-year-old who won the gold medal at the 1995 World Championships and was second two years ago. ``I can't tell you how hot it will be.''

Fiz is among the favorites, along with holder Abel Anton, another Spaniard. The most notable absentee is Brazil's Ronaldo da Costa, holder of the world record of two hours, six minutes, five seconds, who said Seville is too hot for him.

BLIND DEBUT: Blind athletes raced at a World Championships for the first time yesterday, with women competing in the 100 metres and men in the 200.

Each competitor isaided by a guide, who runs in the adjacent lane. The two are linked by a string that is looped around the racer's right wrist and the guide's left wrist.

Purificacion Santamarta of Spain, a 37-year-old mother of two, turned in the fastest time among the women, and cried as she stepped off the podium after receiving her gold medal.

Her winning time of 12.55 seconds was 0.22 off her own record for the event.

Santamarta also holds world records for the blind in the 200, 400 and 800, and owns six sprinting gold medals from the last two Paralympics.

Another Spaniard, Julio Requena Fernandez, won the men's contest in 24.09. Fernandez, who turns 40 next month, also picked up multiple gold medals at the last two Paralympics.

IT'S NOT WHETHER YOU WIN OR LOSE: Priscilla Mamba of Swaziland will always be able to say she competed with the best at the World Championships.

Mamba finished 23rd in the women's 10,000 metres last night, in 38 minutes, 45.18 seconds -- more than eight minutes slower thanwinner Gete Wami, and nearly five minutes behind the 22nd-placed finisher.

Undeterred, and cheered on by the crowd and some of the runners who finished ahead of her, Mamba continued running while Ethiopia's Wami and silver medalist Paula Radcliffe of Britain took victory laps with their country's flags.