Doha Preview: The 2012 Samsung Diamond League Gets Underway In Grand Fashion

Lots of Big Matchups as Stars' Desire To Get in A Good Early Season Effort To Test Their Fitness Overrides Their Fears of Racing Each Other

By LetsRun.com
May 10, 2012

Doha Schedule - All Time US ET.

11:00 am
Discus Throw Men Men Entry list
11:05 am
Long Jump Men Men Entry list
11:10 am
Shot Put Women Women Entry list
11:15 am
Pole Vault Women Women Entry list
11:40 am 800m Men Final B Men Entry list
12:03 pm
400m H Women Women Entry list
12:06 pm
High Jump Men Men Entry list
12:12 pm
200m Men Men Entry list
12:21 pm
800m Women Women Entry list
12:25 pm
Javelin Throw W. Women Entry list
12:30 pm 100m Men Men Entry list
12:40 pm 800m Men Final A Men Entry list
12:50 pm
100m Women Women Entry list
12:53 pm
Triple Jump Women Women Entry list
1:00 pm
1500m Men Men Entry list
1:12 pm
100m H Women Women Entry list
1:22 pm
3000m SC Men Men Entry list
1:35 pm
400m Men Men Entry list
1:43 pm
3000m Women Women Entry list
2:03 pm
3000m Men Men Entry list

We always say one of the biggest problems with track and field is the stars never race each other but they sure are early this year.

Where to begin? What is better? Asbel Kiprop vs. Abubaker Kaki and Silas Kiplagat at 1500,  Kenenisa Bekele vs. Augustine Choge, Edwin Soi and Eliud Kipchoge at 3000m, Pamela Jelimo vs. Janeth Jepkosgei at 800m,  Meseret Defar vs. Vivian Cheruiyot at 3000m, Veronica Campbell Brown vs Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce vs Allsyon Felix at 100m, or Asafa Powell vs. Justin Gatlin at 100?

These great early season matchups on a globla stage are what the sport needs.

Schedule appears on the left. We preview a few of the key events below in chronological order so this can serve as a sort of program - "LetsRun.com's Fan's Guide to the Meet" - if you are watching it live.

 12:21 PM ET: Women's 800: Is Pamela Jelimo Really Back? How Does Molly Beckwith Stack Up Against World's Best

The resurgent Olympic champion Pamelo Jelimo, who hadn't broken 1:59 since 2008 and only ran 2:09 last year but proved earlier this year that her career is far from over as she ran 1:58.83 to capture the world indoor crown, headlines a very good women's 800 field.

Challenging Jelimo will be Beijing silver medallist Janeth Jepkosgei, who got bronze outdoors last year (in addition to gold in 2007 and silver in 2009), and a slew of talented others including 2011 world championship finalist Kenia Sinclair of Jamaica. Jepkosgei's protege Eunice Sum, who beat Jepksoegi earlier this year at 1,500, is also running.

Former Indiana Hoosier Molly Beckwith, who ran 1:59.12 last year, has had a great start to the 2012 season so far as she's undefeated on the year (five for five at 800) including a 2:00.34 win at Mt. Sac. She must be feeling good about her fitness as she's travelled halfway across the globe to compete but her 5-5 streak will seriously be put to the test. She's the only American in the field.

There are a couple of teenagers worth paying attention to. 19-year old Cherono Koech of Kenya ran 1:59.68 last year and is racing as is 19-year old Fantu Magiso of Ethiopia, who ran 1:59.17 last year and was 4th at the world indoors earlier this year. If you like the old-timers, 33-year old Tasmyn Manou of Australia, who was the 2008 world indoor champ, is looked for an Olympic A qualifier of 1:59.90 after winning the Australian champs in April.

Athlete Nation PB SB
USA
1:59.12
2:00.34
GBR
1:59.77

 

KEN
1:54.01

1:58.83i

KEN
1:56.04

 

KEN
1:59.68

 

RUS
2:02.93
IND
1:59.17

 

ETH
1:59.17
2:00.30
AUS
1:59.21
2:01.53
JAM
1:57.88

 

KEN
1:59.66

 

12:30 PM ET: Men's 100: Justin Gatlin Returns To Site of His Doped Up World Record To Face Asafa Powell

The unrepentant Justin Gatlin, back from his four year drug ban, returns to Doha - the place where he equalled Asafa Powell's WR of 9.77 when he was juiced to the gills in 2006 - to face none other than Asafa Powell himself as both men make their open 100 debuts on the year.

Gatlin was good indoors this year as he won the world indoor title over Nesta Carter who also is in the field and should contend. American Mike Rodgers, who ran 9.85 last year before getting a short drug ban (Editor's question: should we start calliing short drug bans "an NFL-esque drug ban"?), is in the field as well.

Powell skipped last week's Jamaican meet with an "injury" but likely he didn't want to get beat by Usain Bolt or Yohan Blake, so we don't think the injury will be a problem here.

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB 2011 Best
10.11.1985
JAM
9.78

9.89

07.07.1981
JAM
9.99
10.01. 10.03 in 2012
27.12.1979
ITA
10.06
10.16w
10.02.1982
USA
9.85
9.95
04.05.1989
JAM
10.09
10.03w. 10.16 in 2012
04.12.1977
USA
9.89
9.94. 10.04 in 2012
23.11.1982
JAM
9.72

9.78

24.04.1985
USA
9.85
9.97 w in 2012. 9.85 last year.
27.02.1992
FRA
10.07
10.07

12:40 PM ET: Men's 800: David Rudisha vs. Alfred Kirwa Yego & The Clock

Just last week, this race was being hyped as a battle between the world record holder David Rudisha and the one man who beat him last year Mohammed Aman of Ethiopia. But Aman is no longer of the start list so look for this to be a time trial for Rudisha who ran 1:44.33 in Australia in March. Three-time global outdoor medallist Alfred Kirwa Yego is the most accomplished of all the challengers. He's in Doha after splitting 3:59 on the DMR at Penn Relays.

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB
17.10.1988
BRN
1:44.02
19.03.1989
QAT
1:45.92
13.07.1987
DEN
1:45.04
20.02.1988
CZE
1:45.56
20.04.1992
KEN
1:43.99
19.02.1988
GBR
1:45.36
13.06.1981
ESP
1:43.83
03.02.1986
GBR
1:43.89
17.12.1988
KEN
1:41.01
16.09.1984
KEN
1:49.39
28.11.1986
KEN
1:42.67

12:50 PM ET: Women's 100: Veronica Campbell Brown, Shelly Ann Frasser Pryce, and Allyson Felix Kick Things Off

A nice sprint matchup to start the DL season.

Veronica Campbell Brown was the 200m World Champion and 100m runner-up last year and is coming off her world indoor 60m title in her outdoor individual debut. The Olympic champ Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was fourth at Worlds last year. Allyson Felix won the 100 in Japan earlier in the week in 11.22, but she'll have her hands full with VCB and Shelly Ann Fraser here. She deserves credit for taking on the world's best before a global audience, something the sport needs.

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB
04.10.1980
USA
11.02
15.05.1982
JAM
10.76
18.11.1985
USA
10.93
27.12.1986
JAM
10.73
31.07.1983
USA
10.97
09.10.1988
NGR
12.08.1984
JAM
10.82
16.04.1984
JAM
10.75

1:00 PM ET: Men's 1500: Three Of The World's Best In Asbel Kiprop, Silas Kiplagat And Abubaker Khaki Clash/Can Russell Brown Get The 'A'?

Early season races don't get much better than this one as the top two 1,500 meter runners in the world from 2011 will clash world and Olympic champ Asbel Kiprop and 2011 silver medallist Silas Kiplagat. But that's not all, 2011 world silver medallist at 800 Abubaker Kaki, who ran 3:31.76 last year for 1,500 and whom we think might be one of the better 1,500 runners on the planet, is also racing. He may be testing the waters here to see what he wants to focus on in London.

American fans should pay special attention to Russell Brown. The Stanford grad ran 3:55.70 last year - just off the IAAF 'A' standard of 3:35.50 - and will be looking to get the 'A' qualifier here. He seems to be in good form at Penn Relays when he ran 2:52.9 for 1200 on the DMR.

He'll battle it out for top non-African honors with Australian national record holder Ryan Gregson who is healthy and running, fresh off a 3:55.6 anchor split at Penn Relays.

If Brown gets the 'A', he'll be one of just 6 American men with the A. Of those 6 - it's possible only 4 of them run the 1,500 at the US Trials (Lomong and Lagat may do just the 5000) so his Olympic chances will be fairly significant.

US Men's 1,500 Olympic "A" Qualifiers - 3:35.50
3:33.11     Bernard Lagat (Nike)    Paris DL    07/08/11
3:33.59     Lopez Lomong (Nike) Barcelona   07/22/11
3:33.66     Leonel Manzano (Nike)   Paris DL    07/08/11
3:34.39     Andrew Wheating (OTC)   Paris DL    07/08/11
3:34.46     Matthew Centrowitz (Or)    Monaco DL   07/22/11

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB  
01.07.1992
QAT
3:34.61
 
06.08.1988
KEN
3:34.59
 
06.03.1985
USA
3:35.70
 
25.09.1987
KEN
3:32.45
 
12.12.1990
KEN
3:30.94
 
16.11.1994
QAT
3:34.43
 
11.10.1988
ETH
3:31.57
 
26.04.1990
AUS
3:31.06
 
21.06.1989
SUD
3:31.76
 
17.12.1983
KEN
3:30.20
 
01.01.1986
KEN
 
20.08.1989
KEN
3:29.27
 
30.06.1989
KEN
3:30.46
 
27.11.1984
KEN
3:29.02
 
05.03.1990
TUR
3:31.37
 
02.07.1985
KEN
3:36.45
 
01.01.1987
KEN
3:43.43

1:22 PM ET: Men's Steeple: Olympic Champ Brimin Kipruto Will Face Paul Kipsiele Koech & Many Others

Reigning Olympc champ Brimin Kipruto, who won silver at last year's world's, will make his 2012 outdoor debut in Doha. Paul Kipsiele Koech, who ran the 5th fastest indoor 5000 ever this year at 13:02 and ran 7:57 for the steeple last year, is in field as is 3-time global steeple medallist Richard Mateelong, Ethiopian national record holder Robert Gari (5th at world last year) and Ugandan national record holdr Benjamin Kiplagat.

The battle for first non-African born honors will have to wait for another week as everyone in the field was born in Africa.

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB SB
16.06.1988
TUR
8:08.59
8:08.59
10.05.1987
UGA
8:18.04
8:29.02
20.04.1987
KEN
8:10.63
8:14.22
12.04.1982
ETH
8:09.87
8:19.62
11.10.1988
ETH
01.01.1993
KEN
8:46.5h
04.03.1989
UGA
8:03.81
8:08.43
31.07.1985
KEN
7:53.64
7:53.64
08.12.1994
KEN
8:19.49
8:19.49
10.11.1981
KEN
7:56.37
7:57.32
14.10.1983
KEN
8:00.89
8:07.41
18.09.1991
KEN
8:07.75
8:26.01
01.01.1985
KEN
8:05.88
8:05.88
17.07.1978
RSA
8:11.50
8:24.48
01.12.1986
BRN
8:06.13
8:39.25
03.06.1989
ETH
8:12.04
8:12.04

1:43 PM ET: Women's 3000:The Medal Stand at the Last Two World 5000m Champs, Vivian Cheruiyot, Sylvia Kibet, and Meseret Defar Square Off to Start 2012

The women's Diamond League distance season starts off with a bang as Vivian Cheruiyot, Sylvia Kibet, and Meseret Defar, the gold, silver, and bronze medallists at the last two 5000ms at the World Championship renew their rivalry.

Vivian Cheruiyot is the top female distance runner on the planet. She hasn't lost a track race since August of 2010. Her perfect 2011 campaign resulted in the 5000 and 10,000m world titles.

Sylvia Kibet may have beaten Defar for silver at the last two outdoor World Championships, but we think Cheruiyot will have more trouble with Defar here. Defar, the world indoor record holder, has run 8:23.72 for 3000m indoors. Defar was the Olympic champion at 5000m in 2004, but her best event is the 3000m. She's a four time world indoor champ, and was seemingly on her way to a fifth title at this year's indoor championships, before Helen Obiri kicked her down.  Defar, once known for her kick, has made a recent habit of getting kicked down in major championships. She lost the 2009 Worlds 10,000m, and 5000m that way. A win her would go a long way in restoring some balance to her rivalry with Cheruiyot.

Maryam Jamal of Bahrain via Turkey is a two time World Champion at 1500. A huge talent who has run 3:56 and 8:28, Jamal is often inconsistent and this is her 2012 track debut.

Gelete Burka of Ethiopia, a former world indoor 1500m champion, who has run the second fastest pb in the field 8:25.92, was the bronze medallist at 3000m at the most recent World Indoor Champs. If anyone will break up the Cheruiyot, Kibet, Defar front three, expect it to be her.

Analysis: 3000m is not Cheruiyot's best distance. If you're looking for her to lose a race this year, this might be the place. If Defar can win, it will be interesting to see what it does for her confidence.

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB
04.07.1987
ETH
8:30.93
23.01.1986
ETH
8:25.92
27.06.1980
KEN
8:29.06
11.09.1983
KEN
8:28.66
19.11.1983
ETH
8:24.51
04.07.1991
ETH
9:15.60
15.01.1995
ETH
8:56.36
01.01.1990
ERI
16.09.1984
BRN
8:28.87
28.03.1984
KEN
8:37.48
05.03.1992
KEN
13.01.1986
RUS
9:16.28
07.08.1981
NOR
8:54.57
13.11.1991
UAE
21.03.1986
KEN
8:37.97
17.08.1989
GBR
8:50.89

2:03 PM ET: Men's 3000: Kenenisa Bekele's First Track Race Under 10,000m in Nearly 3 Years vs Stacked Field of Merga, Kipchoge, Soi, and Choge

The men's 3000m is all about the 2012 track debut of the great Kenenisa Bekele. Bekele's first track race at a distance shorter than 10,000m since 2009 will not be an easy one as he takes on former World Champion Eliud Kipchoge, former Diamond League winner Imane Merga, and the in form Edwin Soi and Augustine Choge.

Perhaps the most gifted man to ever lace up a pair of spikes, Bekele has 20 World Championship or Olympic titles to his credit. After winning two world titles in 2009, Bekele missed all of the 2010 season with a ruptured calf and knee injury. Bekele returned to the track last year at the World Championships at 10,000m where he dropped out. He bounced back less than a month later to win the Brussels Diamond League 10,000m in a quick 26:43.16, in the race where Galen Rupp broke the American record.

Bekele started his 2012 campaign with a dominant 27:49 win at the Dublin Great Ireland Run on April 15th beating the rest of the field by nearly a minute. He takes on a much tougher task here as he faces a truly world class field.

Inaugural 5000m Diamond League champion, Imane Merga of Ethiopia, known for his rough style of racing that got him disqualified from the bronze medal at 5000m in Daegu, is making his 2012 track debut after skipping the indoor circuit. Last year Merga ran 12:54.21 in his first track race of the year in Rome, but that was coming off a World Cross Country title. This year Merga's only race was a so-so 28:40 at the World's Best 10k in Puerto Rico.

Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya is a five time world medallist and the 2003 World Champion at 5000m. He showed good form indoors beating Mo Farah at 2 miles in Birmingham. Kipchoge ran 7:27.66 for 3rd last year in Doha so he knows how to run fast in May.

Just to show the talent in the field Thomas Longosiwa is a 12:51 guy but we don't think he'll be a factor. The guys Bekele will have the most trouble with are Augustine Choge and Edwin Soi, who got silver and bronze behind American Bernard Lagat at the recent World Indoor 3000m. Soi, also the bronze medallist at 5000m at the Beijing Olympics, has run 12:52 and is known for his "blazing", "breathtaking", and "devastating" kick.

The bigger talent may be Choge. He ran 12:53.66 for 5000m 7 years ago in 2005. After that he primarily became a 1500m runner and has run 3:29.47 with nine Diamond/Golden League wins at 1500m and the mile. Choge's problem is he has not done great in tactical championship 1500m races with a 5th at the Berlin Worlds his best finish. His best shot for a gold medal likely is in the 5000m. If he ever figures out the 5000m very few people on paper would be able to beat him. His silver medal to Lagat at World Indoors in the 3000m was an encouraging step for him. A victory here over Bekele would stamp Choge as a serious medal threat at 5000m.

Analysis: If Bekele wins at 3000m in his first race out, the rest of the world might want to start planning for silver in London. If Choge wins throw another guy into the mix who could make the London 5000m the most anticipated distance race of the Olympics.

More: Bekele Wants to Double at Olympics, Says He Is Not Training at Full Capacity Because of Injury Fears

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB
12.12.1990
TUR
7:48.74
13.06.1982
ETH
7:25.79
01.07.1976
ALG
21.01.1987
KEN
7:28.76
12.06.1984
QAT
7:28.28
05.11.1984
KEN
7:27.66
02.09.1986
UGA
7:30.95
19.12.1993
KEN
7:51.51
31.08.1990
ETH
7:51.21
14.01.1988
KEN
7:30.09
15.10.1988
ETH
7:53.62
03.02.1988
KEN
7:35.44
16.04.1990
KEN
7:35.57
21.04.1980
KEN
7:40.26
03.03.1986
KEN
7:27.55
03.12.1992
DJI
04.01.1985
ALG
7:47.68

Other Action: Walter Dix in 200, LaShawn Merritt in 400, Jesse Williams in High Jump

Walter Dix started the season with a wind-aided 9.85 at Mt. Sac. He gets his first real test here. LaShawn Merritt ran a world leading 44.73 in Guadeloupe and is the class of the 400 and World Champion Jesse Williams is in the high jump.

*Full Start lists here

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