Javelin and triple jump stars set for Doha clashes

Full World Championship podiums in the men’s javelin and men’s triple jump will be reunited at the Doha Diamond League on Friday (19), as the Wanda Diamond League season continues with its seventh meeting of 2026.

Originally scheduled for early May, the Doha meeting was moved to June and will now bring together some of the strongest fields of the season so far, including several events featuring global champions.

The men’s javelin once again looks set to be one of the highlights, with the 2025 World Championships podium all returning to action. World champion Keshorn Walcott, two-time world champion Anderson Peters and world bronze medallist Curtis Thompson will renew their rivalry in a field that also includes 2021 Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra, who makes his season debut, and Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, one of the revelations of 2026.

Pathirage arrives in Doha as the world leader after his huge 92.62m victory in Rome earlier this month, which moved him to eighth on the world all-time list. He has won six of his seven competitions so far this year; his narrow loss to Peters in Rabat – his first ever Diamond League appearance – has been his only blemish on his 2026 scorecard.

Doha has long been renowned for big javelin marks, and several athletes in this field have produced their career bests there. Chopra joined the 90-metre club in the Qatari capital with his PB of 90.23m, as did Peters (93.07m) and Jakub Vadlejch (90.88m) in their memorable clash in 2022. With Pathirage already beyond 92 metres this season, the conditions and competition could again combine to produce something special.

There will be another World Championship podium reunion in the men’s triple jump. Pedro Pichardo and Andrea Dallavalle both open their seasons against Lazaro Martinez, completing the podium from Tokyo last year.

They will be joined by world indoor silver medallist Jordan Scott, who has jumped 17.66m this season, and world indoor bronze medallist Yasser Triki, who has a season’s best of 17.32m.

The women’s triple jump also has a strong championship feel, led by world indoor and outdoor champion Leyanis Perez Hernandez and Olympic champion Thea Lafond. Saly Sarr, the world indoor bronze medallist, is also in the field, along with Davisleydi Velazco, who has won her past five competitions, including the Oslo Diamond League with 14.85m.

Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino will contest her first Diamond League race of 2026 in the women’s 400m. She takes on Olympic bronze medallist Natalia Bukowiecka and Cuba’s Roxana Gomez.

World champion Cordell Tinch lines up in the men’s 110m hurdles against Jamal Britt, the newest member of the sub-13-second club after his 12.99 victory at the Los Angeles Grand Prix.

Zapletalova and Charamba look to extend winning streaks

Emma Zapletalova will aim to continue her unbeaten start to 2026 in the women’s 400m hurdles.

The world bronze medallist has already improved the world lead and Slovakian record to 52.58 this season, and she lines up in Doha against Jamaica’s Rushell Clayton and Panama’s Gianna Woodruff.

In the men’s 200m, Makanakaishe Charamba will look to build on the momentum of his recent 19.88 PB at the Lone Star Grand Prix. The Zimbabwean, who is unbeaten over 200m so far this season, takes on South Africa’s Sinesipho Dambile and Alexander Ogando of the Dominican Republic.

The women’s 800m features Olympic silver medallist Tsige Duguma, fellow Ethiopian Nigist Getachew, 2025 world indoor champion Prudence Sekgodiso, Botswana’s Oratile Nowe and Lone Star Grand Prix winner Shafiqua Maloney.

In the men’s pole vault, Greece’s world silver medallist Emmanouil Karalis – the second-highest vaulter in history – faces Norway’s Sondre Guttormsen and USA’s Chris Nilsen, while home favourite Mutaz Barshim will contest the men’s high jump, looking to improve on his season’s best of 2.23m.

Ethiopian depth in distance races

There will be a sizeable Ethiopian presence in both the women’s 5000m and women’s 1500m.

The 5000m is led by Likina Amebaw, who won the Rome Diamond League with a world-leading PB of 14:18.41. She is joined by 2025 Diamond League champion Fantaye Belayneh and Medina Eisa.

The women’s 1500m is headed by Birke Haylom, winner of the Shanghai Diamond League. Fellow Ethiopians Worknesh Mesele, Haregeweyni Kalayu and Saron Berhe also line up.

In the men’s 3000m steeplechase, two-time Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali returns to action against Olympic bronze medallist Abraham Kibiwot and 2024 Diamond League champion Amos Serem.