World high jump champion Mutaz Barshim will open his season on home soil at the Doha Diamond League on 16-17 April, the first meeting of the 2020 Wanda Diamond League.

One characteristic of champions is that they often find a way to win, even when they shouldn’t. Goals against the run of play, the passing shot at full stretch on match point, willing oneself across the line or over the bar.

Not too many people get the chance to be crowned a world champion in front of their friends and family in their home city, and even fewer deliver; but Mutaz Barshim – Doha born and bred – added his name to that small list when he flew over 2.37m to take the high jump gold.

One year ago, Mutaz Barshim was flying high. Very high.

Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim and Abderrahman Samba have donated kit to the IAAF Heritage Collection which will be on display at the IAAF Heritage World Athletics Championships Exhibition which opens in City Center Doha shopping mall in one week’s time.

With 2019 now underway, over the next nine days we'll be taking a look at nine things we're really looking forward to as we enter another World Championships year.

Sergey Shubenkov powered to a 12.92 victory to highlight the Gyulai Memorial in Székesfehérvár, Hungary, on Monday (2) night. 

A stunning meeting record of 47.60 by Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba in the men’s 400m hurdles proved the highlight of the Bislett Games in Oslo on Thursday night (7), the fifth stop of the 2018 IAAF Diamond League.

World leads by Sandra Perkovic, Mutaz Barshim and Pedro Pablo Pichardo were among the highlights at the 2018 IAAF Diamond League series opener in Doha on Friday (4), an evening which witnessed three men throw beyond 90 metres in the javelin.

World high jump champion Mutaz Barshim will be the headline name at this year’s Doha Diamond League on 4 May as he once again kicks off his 2018 outdoor season in front of a home crowd at the opening meeting of the 2018 IAAF Diamond League.

World high jump champion Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar will bring his high-flying act back to the Prefontaine Classic to challenge a world-class field at the IAAF Diamond League meeting on 25-26 May.

The 2010 World U20 Championships provided both the career highs and lows for world high jump champion Mutaz Barshim.