Christian Cantwell kicks off his Diamond League campaign with victory in Doha (© Jiro Mochizuki)
Nearly a dozen Diamond Race Trophy winners from last season will be kicking off their follow-up campaigns when the 2011 Samsung Diamond League series opens in Doha, Qatar, on Friday, 6 May.
All three of the men's throws are on the programme at the Qatar Sports Club Stadium on Friday, and all three 2010 series winners – along with their fiercest rivals - will be in attendance.
Reigning World indoor and outdoor champion Christian Cantwell of the USA, last season's dominant shot putter, will again face world's best when he defends his Doha title. Cantwell, who reached a massive 21.82m here last year, will take on perennial foes Reese Hoffa, his compatriot whom he succeeded as World champion, and Poland's Tomasz Majeweski, the reigning Olympic champion.
Another Pole, Piotr Malachowski, will begin his Diamond Trophy defence campaign in the Discus Throw where he’ll face, among others, Estonia’s Olympic champion Gerd Kanter.
Andreas Thorkildsen, the reigning Olympic and World champion in the Javelin Throw, is set to face long-time rival Tero Pitkamaki of Finland and event rising star Petr Frydrych of the Czech Republic.
On the women’s side on the infield, Brittney Reese of the USA, the World Long Jump champion, will tangle with Brazil’s Maurren Higa Maggi, the 2008 Olympic champion.
On the track, Milcah Chemos of Kenya will begin her follow-up campaign in the 3000m Steeplechase with a difficult test, facing Russian Yuliya Zarudneva, the 2010 European champion and winner at the Continental Cup.
In the men’s 800m, the packed field includes Sudanese speedster Abubaker Kaki and Kenyan Asbel Kiprop, the Olympic 1500m champion, who will take on World record holder David Rudisha who was previously announced.
Allyson Felix, the 200m and 400m Diamond Race Trophy winner, triple jumper Teddy Tamgho of France and his pole vaulting compatriot Renaud Lavillenie, have also been previously been announced. Felix will open her Samsung Diamond League season in the 400m.
Look for more exclusive lead-in coverage from Doha, including press conference highlights, pre-event athlete features, and an in-depth meeting preview and report throughout this week on IAAF.org.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
Please go to 'Related Content' under the photograph to the right of this story to download the Doha 2011 Media Guide (pdf) which includes a provisional entry list
