Doha officials have announced further world-class athletes set to take part in the opening meeting of the 2017 IAAF Diamond League series on 5th May.

The athletes unveiled, include 800m star Caster Semenya, Bahrain’s first-ever Olympic gold medallist, Ruth Jebet, and USA’s Emma Coburn.

The addition of Semenya, Jebet, and Coburn adds to an already world class line up set to take part in the opening Diamond League meeting of 2017.

Rivals Dafne Schippers and Elaine Thompson go head to head in the women’s 200m, and in the men’s 400m, stars LaShawn Merritt and Kirani James will line up.

With Semenya now unveiled, the women’s 800m race sees three Olympic medallists facing off: South Africa’s Caster Semenya, Margaret Wambui from Kenya, and Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba.

In the women’s 3000m steeplechase, world record holder, and reigning Olympic gold medalist Jebet, will line up against Olympic silver medalist Hyvin Kiyeng, and US record-holder and Olympic Bronze medalist, Emma Coburn.

Quick Doha Athletics facts

  • Doha’s first major athletics event was the Doha Grand Prix in 1997.
  • In 2010, Doha staged the first-ever IAAF Diamond League fixture.

10 years of Doha Athletics Promo video

Full 2017 IAAF Diamond League calendar

5 May – Doha, QAT
13 May – Shanghai, CHN
27 May – Eugene, USA
8 Jun – Rome, ITA
15 Jun – Oslo, NOR
18 Jun – Stockholm, SWE
1 Jul – Paris, FRA
6 Jul – Lausanne, SUI
9 Jul – London, GBR
16 Jul – Rabat, MAR
21 Jul – Monaco, MON
20 Aug – Birmingham, GBR
24 Aug – Zurich, SUI
1 Sep – Brussels, BEL