serious/strong/leading etc contender• The Hurricanes kept Covington, and he is a strong contender for the starting job.• Scranton / Wilkes-Barre hitting coach Jerry Martin is a strong contender for freakinjury of the year.• I was now a serious contender for the goldmedal.• A serious contender for Vibes album of the year.• Nearly all the leading contenders have all been eliminated over the last year or so.• Over the last week Johnson, a native of West Salem, Wis., became the leading contender for the post.• Solar power and fusion power are the two leading contenders.• We were looking at a very serious contender indeed.