by Alfonz Juck
SAFP and Tebogo to highlight Doha DL
DOHA (QAT): Third meeting of the 2025 Wanda Diamond League, the Jetour Doha Meeting, will take place on Friday. Organisers have assembled a strong line-up in most disciplines, despite the season only just starting, so many competitors are launching their summer season campaigns. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, an extraordinary legend, leads the women’s 100m, while the Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo is the favourite of the men’s 200m. Interesting and high-quality clashes are expected in the women’s steeple, pole vault and 400m, as well as in the men’s field events (javelin, discus and high jump). The main program will start tomorrow at 19:04 local time (16:04 GMT). The meet is sould out with nearly 14 000 spectators.
Short event by event previews
Women
100m: What can we expect from Fraser-Pryce in her first DL appearance since Zurich 2022? And what shape are European indoor stars Kambundji (9th in the 200m in Xiamen) and van der Weken in at the start of the season?
400m: Naser showed an excellent form at GST meets, summer opener for Bukowiecka (started at World Relays) and Klaver.
1500m: Kenyans Ejore and Chepchirchir already in shape, Ethiopian pack led by World U20 champion Berhe, also European Indoor champion Guillemot and Reekie in her summer opener.
3000m steeple: One of the meet’s highlights, the full Olympic podium in action, Yavi, Chemutai and Cherotich, despite their first starts since September, world lead is expected, sub 9 minutes also.
Pole vault: Moon or Caudery? For all outdoor season openers.
Triple jump: Lafond and Ricketts on paper, long jump star Španović in her first triple jump in three years.
Men
200m: First serious 200m test for Tebogo, who has shown improvement in Chinese meets, Fahnbulleh and Lindsey will challenge him.
800m: Hoppel on paper, but Masalela in shape, Kinyamal opens his season, Cheminingwa in first 800m of the season. WL in danger.
5000m: Very open, Yihune fastest in the field, Lobalu was just off the podium at the Olympics, Balew strong on the road and Teare indoors. They want to run below 13.
110m hurdles: Short hurdles are always open, especially in the early season, Olympic 2-3-4 Roberts, Broadbell and Llopis, but Britt is also already fast, and Simonelli in the summer opener.
400m hurdles: Allen is most experienced, James-King good at GST meets, Bengtström quite fast in Chinese meets, and European vice-champion Sibilio opens his hurdles campaign.
High jump: Olympic podium rematch, Kerr, McEwen and Barshim, but all three quite far from top shape (Barshim also not fully fit), so a surprise is possible, but who? Akamatsu, McEwen?
Discus: Denny already had a good Australian and ‘Oklahoma’ season, Čeh competed only at the Euro Winter Throwing and Ståhl opens his 2025 campaign.
Javelin: Great line-up, but it is early in the season, Chopra and Peters only have one small meet competition, Vadlejch and Weber in their 2025 premiere starts. They will throw in direction of 100 m sprint, with good wind.
