Jamaican sprint superstars Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce have six Diamond Trophies between them, but they will have their work cut out at the second Wanda Diamond League meeting of the season in Doha when they take on rising star and current world leader Sha’Carri Richardson.
21-year-old Richardson, the world under-20 record holder, clocked a stunning 10.72 lifetime best at the Miramar Invitational in Florida (World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meeting) in April to go sixth on the world all-time list.
She backed that up with another two sub-10.80 performances – 10.74 in the heat and 10.77 into a headwind in the final – at the USATF Golden Games (World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting) held at Mt SAC in Walnut, California, on Sunday 9 May.
Thompson-Herah is also in fine form and ran 10.78 to win the Pure Athletics Sprint Elite Meet earlier this month after a windy 10.76 in her heat. A gold medallist over 100m and 200m in Rio 2016, she is ranked fourth-equal in the world all-time rankings (10.70) alongside Fraser-Pryce, double Olympic champion (2008 and 2012) and multiple world champion over 100m, 200m and 4 x 100m relay.
“As I embark on this next journey of my life as a professional athlete, I’m honoured to participate in the historic Wanda Doha Diamond League meet,” said Richardson, who opens her Diamond League campaign in Gateshead a week prior to Doha. It will be the first time she’s travelled to Europe and the Middle East.
Multiple world medallist Marie-Josée Ta Lou (Ivory Coast) and Nigeria’s national record holder Blessing Okagbare, an Olympic, world and Commonwealth Games medallist, will also line up in the stellar 100m field at the Qatar Sports Club.
The 2021 Wanda Diamond League comprises 14 meetings – starting with Gateshead (replacing Rabat as the first host city on this year’s circuit) on Sunday 23 May – leading to a single final across two days in Zurich at the end of the season. Each meeting will be broadcast globally in a live two-hour programme.
The 2021 calendar remains subject to change depending on the global health situation in the coming months.