The organising committee of the athletics Diamond League, chaired by Major General Dahlan Jumaan Al Hamad, president of the Qatar and Asian federations and vice-president of the IAAF, revealed a new lineup of champions who will take part in the Diamond League meeting hosted by Doha on 9 May at Qatar SC Stadium. The head of the organising committee said: we are keen to attract holders of world and Olympic achievements, and we are committed to applying the best standards in every area of this prominent event. The participation of such a lineup is considered essential to the success of the Diamond League in Doha. A number of Olympic gold medallists will take part in the coming edition, including LaShawn Merritt in the 400m, David Rudisha in the 800m, Asbel Kiprop in the 1500m, and Brimin Kipruto and Ezekiel Kemboi in the 3000m steeplechase, the latter having won gold twice at the Olympics, in addition to Ivan Ukhov in the high jump, Olympic triple jump champion Christian Taylor, Gerd Kanter in the discus, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in the 100m, and Valerie Adams in the shot put, both of whom are Olympic champions. In addition, 25 medal holders will compete at the meeting launching the World Athletics Diamond League on 9 May in Doha. The 2014 Doha Diamond League will also feature 25 current and former world champions, plus 28 silver and bronze medallists from the IAAF’s flagship event. It is worth noting that twelve of the stars competing this season were crowned world indoor champions, nine of whom won silver or bronze medals.
New Zealand’s Valerie Adams is one of the most prominent women in athletics, unrivalled in the shot put. In addition to two Olympic gold medals, Adams boasts a world record that includes four outdoor titles and three indoor titles. She arrives in Doha with a run of 46 consecutive final wins, having not lost a competition since August 2010.
Kenya’s Asbel Kiprop, winner of the 800m in Doha in 2011, is ranked among the best 1500m runners in history, having won back-to-back world titles in Daegu and Moscow. His compatriots Brimin Kipruto and Ezekiel Kemboi have won every Olympic and world title since 2004, with the exception of the 2005 World Championships, which went to Qatar’s Saif Saeed Shaheen.
American Christian Taylor, who competes this season in both the long jump and triple jump, is not only the reigning world triple jump champion but also a former outdoor and indoor world champion. Estonia’s discus legend Gerd Kanter holds two Olympic medals, one gold and one silver, and five world championship medals, one gold, two silver and two bronze.
The list of athletes for the 2014 Doha Diamond League includes Olympic and world outdoor and indoor medallists.
For his part, Mohammed Jassim Al Kuwari, secretary general of the Athletics Federation and deputy director of the Diamond League meeting, said organisational matters were proceeding according to plan and that they were looking forward to impressing the world once again by hosting the Diamond League meeting, which brings together the world’s top stars and attracts all athletics fans.
World champions in Doha
200m: Nickel Ashmeade, Warren Weir (Jamaica), Femi Ogunode (Qatar), Curtis Mitchell (United States).
400m: Pavel Maslák (Czech Republic), Luguelín Santos (Dominican Republic), Josh Mance, LaShawn Merritt, Tony McQuay (United States).
800m: Nijel Amos (Botswana), Andrew Osagie (Britain), David Rudisha (Kenya).
1500m: Ayanleh Souleiman (Djibouti), Mekonnen Gebremedhin, Aman Wote (Ethiopia), Silas Kiplagat, Asbel Kiprop (Kenya), Johan Cronje (South Africa), Ilham Tanui Özbilen (Turkey)
110m hurdles: Ryan Brathwaite (Barbados), Pascal Martinot-Lagarde (France), Sergey Shubenkov (Russia), David Oliver, Omoghan Osagie, Ryan Wilson (United States).
3000m steeplechase: Ezekiel Kemboi, Brimin Kiprop Kipruto, Conseslus Kiprop, Paul Kipsiele Koech, Abel Kiprop Mutai (Kenya).
High jump: Donald Thomas (Bahamas), Derek Drouin (Canada), Robbie Grabarz (Britain), Mutaz Essa Barshim (Qatar), Ivan Ukhov (Russia), Andriy Protsenko (Ukraine), Erik Kynard, Jesse Williams (United States).
Long jump: Chris Tomlinson (Britain), Luis Alberto Rivera Morales (Mexico), Ignisious Gaisah (Netherlands), Godfrey Khotso Mokoena (South Africa), Christian Taylor (United States).
Discus throw: Gerd Kanter (Estonia), Ehsan Hadadi (Iran), Piotr Małachowski (Poland)
Women champions on the way:
100m: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Carrie Russell, Kerron Stewart (Jamaica), Blessing Okagbare (Nigeria), Alexandria Anderson, English Gardner (United States)
800m: Jenny Meadows, Marilyn Okoro (Britain), Janeth Jepkosgei, Eunice Jepkoech Sum (Kenya), Chanelle Price (United States)
3000m: Almaz Ayana, Genzebe Dibaba (Ethiopia), Mercy Cherono, Hellen Obiri (Kenya)
400m hurdles: Eilidh Child (Britain), Kaliese Spencer (Jamaica), LaShinda Demus, Dalilah Muhammad (United States)
Pole vault: Yarisley Silva (Cuba), Irena Svobodova (Czech Republic), Anna Rogowska (Poland)
Triple jump: Keila da Silva Costa (Brazil), Caterine Ibargüen (Colombia), Kimberly Williams (Jamaica), Anna Pyatykh (Russia), Olha Saladukha (Ukraine)
Shot put: Valerie Adams (New Zealand), Yevgeniya Kolodko (Russia), Michelle Carter (United States)
Javelin throw: Kimberley Mickle (Australia), Linda Stahl (Germany), Sunette Viljoen (South Africa)
