Hamad Issa Al Fadalah (centre), Secretary-General of Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF) poses for a photograph with QAF officials and some of the star Qatari athletes during a press conference held at Qatar Olympic Committee headquarters yesterday. Picture:
Doha: Sports fans from Qatar will get an exclusive, unique and free opportunity to get up and close to some of the world’s best athletes ahead of the May 4 Diamond League season opener in Qatar, it was announced here yesterday.
On Thursday, Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim, winner of the World Athlete of the Year, along with Kenya’s 3000m World Champion Hellen Obiri and Greece’s pole vault legend Katerina Stefanidi along with other stars will take questions from the public at the press conference.
Public are invited to join a press conference and panel session with a multitude of Olympic and World medallists on the first floor of City Center Mall, which is open to everyone to attend for free.
The global superstar athletes go head to head in a thrilling Diamond League action at Qatar Sports Club on Friday.
Speaking ahead of the 2018 Doha Diamond League, President of the Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF), Dr Thani Abdulrahman Al Kuwari, said: “We are so excited to welcome so many of the World’s biggest athletics stars back to Doha for what promises to be a phenomenal Diamond League opening meeting of the 2018 season.”
“The Doha Diamond League is the only IAAF Diamond League meeting in the Middle East and is one of the most exciting and unmissable sporting events hosted annually in Qatar,” the QAF President has said.
Meanwhile, further athlete announcements were made yesterday with a thrilling showdown anticipated in the Men’s 200m.
Reigning World Champion, Ramil Guliyev of Turkey, goes up against Olympic silver medallist Andre De Grasse of Canada, 2017 Diamond League Champion Noah Lyles of the USA, and World bronze medallist Jereem Richards of Trinidad and Tobago. However, the biggest surprise could come from Omar McLeod of Jamaica, who is the Olympic and World Champion in the 110m hurdles but will be trying his hand at the 200m in Doha in an intriguing switch.
