FROM LEFT: World 110m hurdles champion Cordell Tinch, Olympic women's 400m champion Marileidy Paulino, Qatar's three-time world champion and Tokyo Olympic gold winning high jumper Mutaz Barshim, Olympic triple jump champion Thea Lafond and India's former Olympic and world champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra pose for a photo following a press conference.
Doha, Qatar: The global track and field audience shifts focus to the Qatari capital today when Doha becomes the seventh stop in the 2026 Diamond League, featuring an elite line up of athletics superstars at the Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium at Qatar Sports Club.
Among those who will seek glory are two athletics icons Qatar’s Tokyo Olympics gold medallist and a three-time world champion in high jump Mutaz Barshim and India’s Olympic and world javelin throw champion Neeraj Chopra who are looking to find familiar rhythms following injury lay-offs on their way to cement lasting legacies.
Barshim was rarely seen in action since winning the bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Games - his fourth at the Olympics – but has returned to the podium few times since then.
Although his medal-winning performances at the West Asian Clubs Championships (2.13m) last year and GCC Games (2.16m) and Asian Jumps Championships (2.23m) earlier this year don’t come anywhere close to his full potential, Barshim – who owns the second all-time best mark of 2.43m.
“For quite some time, unfortunately, I was injured and couldn’t do what I wanted over the last few seasons. But I’m managing. Now I feel good, I feel healthy, and I just need to go out and do what I know best: jumping,” Barshim said during a pre-event press conference in Doha yesterday.
“So it’s going to be interesting because, when you compete, you usually know where you are. You have an idea. I’ve kind of missed that feeling. So it’s just about going out there,” Barshim said.
“In terms of where I am, you’ll just have to wait 24 hours and see,” the three-time Diamond League finals winner said.
For Barshim, who celebrates his 35th birthday in five more days, the Doha Meeting is more than just another stop on the tour.
Barshim made it clear that his primary motivation is no longer just winning, but achieving a status of absolute historical dominance.
“I’m looking for legacy. I feel like I’m definitely on the final lap of my career,” Barshim said.
“I want to make sure the cherry on top is tasty and shiny. Whenever I leave the sport, I want to separate myself from the pack. You cannot mention high jump without mentioning my name,” a proud Barshim said.
Meanwhile, returning Chopra faces a tough field, led by in-form Sri Lankan Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage.
The men’s javelin throw features a stacked field of global and regional powerhouses, making it the marquee event of the evening.
Pathirage, who made the eighth-best throw ever – a massive 92.62m – at the Rome Diamond League earlier this month, will face the defending world champion Keshorn Walcott, two-time world champion Anderson Peters, and world bronze medalist Curtis Thompson, while Chopra makes the 2026 season debut.
“We are not working on anything specific or very deep. I’m working on my natural technique,” Chopra, who returns to the venue where he first broke the 90-meter barrier, said.
“I had some injury last year... but now I feel really good. I feel quick, and let’s see what happens tomorrow,” Chopra said.
Also speaking at the press conference, Olympic triple jump champion Thea Lafond of Dominica relished her return to peak form following knee surgery. Lafond thanked the Qatar Athletics Federation and the Qatar Olympic Committee, expressing gratitude for Qatar’s collaboration with World Athletics to construct running tracks for countries lacking proper training facilities.
“My country doesn’t currently have a track, which makes training difficult when I’m there. However, one of the biggest positives to come from recent success is that a new track is being built,” Lafond said.
“Qatar’s athletics and Olympic authorities have worked with World Athletics on a programme to build tracks in countries that need them, and Dominica was one of those countries.
“The track will carry my name, which is incredibly special,” Lafond added.
Ahead of today’s events, reigning 110m hurdles world champion Cordell Tinch emphasized the critical role of mental health. Acknowledging the fierce competition following Ja’Kobe Tharp’s recent world record, Tinch noted that prioritizing self-care off the track is the true secret to his competitive edge.
In the 400m, Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino is targeting a third victory in Doha. The Dominican star cited consistent, rigorous training as her foundation and aims to break her own 47.98 national record this season.
