Men's Shot Put a Clash of the Titans in Doha

By Adam Kopet

The 2019 Diamond League series gets underway Friday in Doha.

The 14-meet series runs from May through early September. The winner in each of the 16 Diamond League events, crowned at the concluding meets in Zurich and Brussels, are awarded wild-card entries into the 2019 IAAF World Outdoor Championships, also held in Doha.

ENTRIES

The first stop of the series is highlighted by the men's shot put. Ryan Crouser and New Zealand's Tom Walsh have been the top two shot putters in the world in recent years. Crouser won the 2016 Olympics with an Olympic record 73-10.75 (22.52m). Walsh got the better of Crouser at the 2017 IAAF World Outdoor Championships.

The pair have had a friendly rivalry throughout, but it is no doubt a rivalry. Crouser owned the longest mark in the world in 2017 at 74-3.75 (22.65m). Walsh owned the best mark in 2018 with a slightly better 74-4.50 (22.67m).

This year, Crouser threw down the gauntlet with an outdoor season opener of 74-7.25 (22.74m). That far surpasses Walsh's best mark of the year, as he has yet to surpass the 72-foot marker a series of competitions in New Zealand and Australia. However, for Walsh to make an appearance at a Diamond League meeting, he is no doubt ready to face Crouser.

American throwers Joe Kovacs, the 2015 world champion, and Darrell Hill, the 2017 Diamond League champion, are also set to compete in Doha. Should Crouser or Walsh falter, both Kovacs and Hill could be in position to take the Diamond League win.

On the track, the meet-concluding women's 3,000 meters could shape up to be a top-notch race.

IAAF World Cross Country champion Hellen Obiri of Kenya will face Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia, already making for a great early look at two of the world's best distance runners. The addition of Beatrice Chepkoech, the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase world record holder could make the race even more interesting.

Donavan Brazier is set to make his outdoor debut in the 800 meters in Doha. He has not raced since he set a world best for the indoor 600 meters at the USATF Indoor Championships, running 1:13.77. He will face some of the world's best in Emmanuel Korir of Kenya, Nijel Amos of Botswana and Adam Kszczot of Poland. There are 14 men, including the rabbit, who are set to compete, adding another dimension to the race.

Caster Semenya of South Africa was a late addition to the women's 800-meter field following the decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport to uphold the IAAF's new gender regulations. Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi and Ajee' Wilson are both scheduled to compete. Also in the race is Raevyn Rogers, who will be looking to improve on her 2:01.04 season's best and get closer to her 1:57.69 personal best.

We will also see Dalilah Muhammad make her 400-meter hurdles season debut. Previously this season, she ran an impressive flat 400 meters at the Mt. SAC Relays, coming from behind in the final 100 meters to win in 51.62, a personal best.

The Doha Diamond League meeting is scheduled to begin Friday at noon EDT and will be available for viewing on television and on the web.

Note: A previous version of this article stated Semenya was not going to compete in Doha. She was a late addition on Thursday and the above article has been updated to reflect that.