Rich field of Olympic, World champions for Doha Diamond League on May 5

Fifteen reigning individual Olympic and world champions, including Qatar’s Olympic and three-time world high jump champion Mutaz Essa Barshim, will open the 2023 Wanda Diamond League season in style at the Qatar Sports Club on Friday, May 5.

The competition will kick off at 5.10 pm and those who want to purchase tickets can do so by clicking here.

Qatar Athletics Federation president Mohammed Al Fadala said the country was looking forward to welcoming the world’s best.

“We’re proud to host the opening meeting of the 2023 Wanda Diamond League. This year, I believe we’ve put together the highest quality field we’ve ever seen in Doha,” he said.

“As an ambitious nation, we must continue to grow the reputation of the Doha Meeting and build on the positive momentum generated by the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Sport is important to our country and we’ve a big part to play. We once again look forward to welcoming the world’s best athletes to Qatar Sports Club and enjoying their inspiring performances,” added Al Fadala.

Jamaican reigning world 200M champion Shericka Jackson will open her Diamond League campaign over 100M, in an exciting line-up that includes British former world 200M champion Dina Asher-Smith.

Jackson, the first athlete in history to win a full set of World Championships medals across three sprint disciplines (100M, 200M, and 400M), is also a five-time Olympic medallist.

“After starting my season with a few 400M races, I’m excited to drop down in distance to race over 100M in Doha. I know I’m in good shape after running my quickest 400M since 2019 this year, but now it’s time to sharpen up and run really fast,” Jackson said.

Asher-Smith, who won world bronze over 200M in Eugene 2022, is the British 100M record holder with a best of 10.83 set at the World Championships in Doha 2019. She also holds the British 200M record (21.88). Jackson has won four of the five previous meetings between the two over 100M.

Meanwhile, in an intriguing match-up over 200M, Canadian Olympic 200M champion Andre De Grasse will go up against world 400M champion Michael Norman, world 100M champion and Olympic silver medallist Fred Kerley, and Olympic and world 200M silver medallist Kenny Bednarek, all from the USA.

De Grasse, a six-time Olympic medallist with a national record of 19.62, had an interrupted build-up to the World Athletics Championships in Eugene last summer after injury and illness hampered his preparations.

Special message from @Neeraj_chopra1

Book your tickets now https://t.co/q3f5IJfJYl #DiamondLeague #Doha pic.twitter.com/XOMAh6EdPV
— Doha Diamond League (@dldoha) April 28, 2023

Meanwhile, India’s Olympic javelin champion and world silver medallist Neeraj Chopra will also be seen in action. Challenging him will be Grenadian world champion Anderson Peters and Czech Olympic silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch.

Chopra has blazed a trail in Indian athletics in recent times. He set an U-20 world record at the 2016 World U20 Championships before becoming the first Indian javelin thrower to win gold at the 2018 Asian Games. He made further history in Tokyo by becoming the country’s first Olympic gold medallist in track and field.

Two-time Olympic and world 1,500M champion Faith Kipyegon, from Kenya, will headline the women’s 1,500M.

A rivalry that glues the eyes of any #DiamondLeague crowd #athletics #trackandfield #polevault
— Wanda Diamond League (@Diamond_League) April 28, 2023

American Olympic and world champion Katie Moon will take on compatriot Sandi Morris and Australia’s Nina Kennedy in women’s pole vault in Doha.

Morocco’s reigning Olympic and world 3,000M steeplechase champion Soufiane El Bakkali will headline an impressive men’s 3,000 in Doha. He will be joined by Ethiopia’s Olympic and world 3,000M SC silver medallist Lamecha Girma.

Portugal’s Olympic and world triple jump champion Pedro Pichardo, Sweden’s Olympic discus champion Daniel Stahl, Slovenian discus throw world champion Kristjan Ceh, Uganda’s Olympic 3,000M steeplechase champion Peruth Chemutai and American Olympic 100M hurdles champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn are some of the other big names in Doha.

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