Johanna Jackson will make her World Championship debut on Friday in conditions far removed from her Redcar home.

The race walker will be forced to endure soaring temperatures and lung-burning humidity in Osaka, with huge showers and giant fans lining the 20km route - which could take Jackson nearly 100 energy-sapping minutes to complete.

However, the British number one, who was one of Britain's leading cross-country student athletes before switching to race waking, isn't complaining - yet.

"The time I've spent at the Norwich Union preparation camp in Macau has been a real benefit," said Jackson, who is coached by her mother, Maureen, at Redcar Race Walking club.

"I feel acclimatised now but I know the conditions are going to be tough, although it's the same for everyone.

"I'm really pleased to be given the chance to compete at this level for the first time, it will only give me more of a hunger to be involved at next year's Olympics."

Jackson's call up to Osaka came as a surprise, she had initially been selected on Great Britain's team for the World Student Games in Bangkok.

But an impressive show at the UK Championships, when she captured the 5km title in a time that was just 22 seconds outside the British record, caught the selectors eye.

Jackson also finished seventh in the 20km walk at last year's Commonwealth Games and the European Under 23 Championships in Hungary last month.

While there are few expectations of success for the 22-year old Creative Media student, the same cannot be said of Middlesbrough's Chris Tomlinson.

The British record holder will today attempt to book his place in tomorrow's long jump final.

"It's great breaking records but they don't mean a lot unless you are winning as well," he said. "The final is my minimum expectation - I've got to put it together in qualifying."

Meanwhile, Nicola Sanders will attempt to write her name in British athletics history today.

The European indoor champion scorched into the women's 400m final as the second fastest qualifier - smashing her personal best as she dipped under the 50-second barrier for the first time ever.

Scot Lee McConnell was the last British woman to reach a World Championship 400m final in 2003 and no home athlete has ever won a medal.

"We have got this far and the idea is to win it," said Tony Lester, Sanders coach.

"However, let's not lose sight of the fact that it is the World Championships final and as I see it any one of five athletes could win it.

"As far as I'm concerned from the start of the training period last winter, the object of this season for Nicola was for her to get to Osaka, make the final and run inside 50 seconds. We've achieved that already so anything else is a bonus.

"The season hasn't gone to plan and we'd have liked to have come here to Osaka having ran a few more races over 400m.

"The injury has of course prevented that from happening, which is probably a blessing in disguise.

"We now realise there is added pressure of expectations after Nicola's performance in the semi-final, but if she wins it in 50 seconds we'll take it."

Christine Ohuruogu - who has just returned from a one-year suspension for missing three random drugs tests - is also in the medal mix after breaking her personal best to reach the final. It's the first time in history two British athletes have reached this stage.