by Larry EderThe long season has affected the quality of fields in Doha this year for the Diamond League opener in Doha, with some fine fields and some fields affected by athletes’ concerns over the long season. In past years ( this writer has attended most since 2010). None the less, eight reigning world champions, nine Olympic champions and nine DL reigning champions will all be attending the 3 May event.
We will update you on the fields, as of 30 April. To check out the fields, please go to: https://doha.diamondleague.com/programme-results-doha/
Caterine Ibaurgen, competing in LJ in Doha, Photo by PhotoRun.net
Hellen Obiri is fit, Wow, best field of the meet! photo by PhotoRun.net
Men’s Pole Vault : Sam Kendricks, 2017 WC, Piotr Lisek, 2017 WC silver, Belgrade 2017 gold, 2018 European Outdoor 4th, and Thiago Braz, 2016 gold PV are all there! Should be a good opener. US’s Andrew Irwin has 5.80m SB, best of field so far. WL in 2019 is Mondo Duplantis, 5.94m, he is NOT in Doha.
Women’s high jump: Airine Palysyte, Euro Champ, indoor and out, Lavern Spencer, Commonwealth Champ, lead the field. Pretty modest.
Men’s Discus: Ehsan Hadadi, Olympic silver, World Champ bronze, 4 times Asian Champs winner, Christoph Harting, Olympic champ, Mason Finley, WC bronze medalist, Daniel Stahl, WC and Olympic silver headline the men’s discus field. A fine early season field.
Women’s Long Jump: Wow! Women’s LJ field is hot! Tianna Bartoletta, Olympic champ, WC champ, multi medals, Caterine Ibarguen, TJ/LJ, Olympic, WC, plus DL winner in both, Christelle Nettey, Commonwealth Champ, Pan Am Champ, WC silver, Windoor bronze, European indoor bronze, Lorraine Ugen, Comm Games winner, NCAA winner, Euro indoor silver, WC indoor bronze, hot weather means big jumps!
Women’s 400m hurdles: Dalilah Muhammed, Olympic champ, 2x WC silver, Anna Ryzhkhova, Olympic bronze, European silver, Ashley Spencer, World Champ, Olympic bronze, World Indoor Champ, this could be a sleeper field. Hot weather, fit athletes, could be fun.
Men’s 800m: Could be the biggest event in Doha: Donovan Brazier, US, NCAA champ, Nijel Amos, Olympic silver, Comm Games champ, Adam Kzczot, 3 time Euro Champ, inside and out, WC silver, Windoor Champ, Emmanuel Korir, NCAA champ, with rabbit Bram Som, could be a screamer!
Women’s 100m hurdles: Brianna McNeal, WC gold, Olympic gold, Danielle Williams, WC gold, Sharika Nelvis, NCAA champ, could be fast.
Men’s Steeplechase: One of weakest fields, with Soufianne El Bakalli, WC silver, it top in field, lots of Kenyans including Amos Kirui W Junior Champ.
Men’s 200m: Ramil Guliyev, WC gold, Jereem Richards, WC silver, Netheneel Mitchell-Blake, European silver, with Alonzo Edward, WC sillver, this is a screaming field. Just missing Mr. Lyles.
Men’s Shot Put: Perhaps the finest field in Doha! Ryan Crouser, Olympic champ, has 2 PBS in 2019, including 22.74m! Joe Kovacs, WC gold, Olympic silver, Tomas Walsh, WC gold, Comm gold, Windoor gold, Olympic bronze, Konrad Bukwiecki, Euro silver, Eurro indoor gold with Tomas Stanek as spoiler. Warm weather, cold beer, lots of shot putters, watch Crouser and Walsh break 23 meters.
Women’s 800m: Francine Nyonsamba, WC indoor champ (2x), Olympic and WC silver, vs. Ajee’ Wilson, WC bronze, WC silver indoors, 2x, this is a fine field.
Men’s 1,500m: A stellar field. Elijah and George Managoi, George is W junior and youth champ, Elijah is WC and Common Wealth Gold, plus Olympic bronze Abdelaati Iguider, lead field. Ryan Gregson, Bethwel Birgen, WC indoor bronze, and Ayanleh Souleiman, but which one will appear?
Women’s 200m: a big women’s 200m early on with Euro 100m/200m champ Dina Asher-Smith, 2 x Olympic medalist Blessing Okagbare, Phyllis Francis, Olympic 400m champ, Euro Champs Jamile Samuel. This could be fast!
Women’s 3000m: The field of Doha. Hellen Obiri, fresh off her World Cross Country takes on the world. OH, yah, Genzebe Dibaba, this is WOW!
Yours truly in Doha in 2016, hope to be there in 2020, photo by PhotoRun.net
