For the eighth year in a row, the IAAF Diamond League will begin its world tour in Doha this May. Over the course of the summer, the competition will cross four continents, 11 countries and 14 cities.
The new championship format will see gripping finals held in Brussels and Zürich at the end of the season. But to earn their place in the grand finale, athletes must navigate the qualifying meets.
In 100 days time, the first qualifying meeting will be played out in Doha, with action on the track and the field. In 13 Diamond Disciplines, Doha will be the first hurdle on the road to the Diamond Trophy.
Track
In the sprints, Doha will host the men’s 100m and 400m, and the women’s 200m. The women’s 100m hurdles will also kick-off in Doha, with Kendra Harrison favourite to win the Diamond Trophy this year.
The women’s 800m and the men’s 1500m will be the first middle distance events of the Diamond League season, while the women’s steeplechase and the men’s 3000m will also get going in Qatar. Will Olympic Champion and World Record holder Ruth Jebet retain her Diamond Trophy in 2017?
Field
In the jumps, the road to the Diamond League finals will begin in the men’s high jump, women’s pole vault and men’s triple jump. It will be a welcome return to the Qatar Sports Club for the men’s triple, the event having begun to dramatically there in 2015.
The men’s javelin has delivered some brilliant battles over the last few seasons, and the stars will kick start their qualifying campaigns in Doha this year. The same goes for the women’s shot put, where New Zealand’s superstar Valerie Adams regained the Diamond Trophy last season.
In 100 days, the air will be buzzing again…#DiamondLeague@dldoha #DohaDL pic.twitter.com/BpqxpMyPnt
— IAAF Diamond League (@Diamond_League) January 25, 2017