For the first time, Doha Diamond League to hold ‘public Press conference’ with international stars

The traditional inaugural leg of the IAAF Diamond League will kick off at the Qatar Sports Club on Friday. This year, organisers are thinking differently and inviting the public for a Press conference, as well as interactive sessions, with some of the world’s best track and field stars.

The Qatar Olympic Committee and the Qatar Athletics Federation will jointly hold the Press conference at City Center Mall on Thursday, from 11:30am to 12:30pm. The Press conference will be attended by Qatar’s sporting legend Mutaz Essa Barshim, American world and Olympic triple jump Champion Christian Taylor and his compatriot and reigning Olympic shot put champion Michelle Carter, reported Gulf Times.

The Press conference, which will be open to the public for the first time, aims to encourage the public to interact more with the stars and watch the competition unfurl. There will also be photograph and autograph sessions after the Press conference. Tickets can be purchased from www.q-tickets.com.

Participating Qatari athletes

Qatar will field a strong contingent for the annual event. The host nation will be headlined by two-time Olympic medallist high jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim, sprinter Femi Seun Ogunode, his brother Tosin Ogunode (100M), Mohammed Nasir Abbas (400M), Hamza Driouch (1,500M), Abdulrahman Samba, Mohamed Shaib (both 400M hurdles) and Ahmed Budir (javelin throw).

Mariam Farid will be one of Qatar’s four female competitors, in 100 and 4x100M relay, reported the Qatar Olympic Committee.

Vote of confidence from Talal Mansour

Talal Mansour, who first put Qatar’s name on the world track and field map, said the performance standards of the current generation of Qatari athletes were going higher that ever before.

Mansour is a 100 and 200M gold medal winner at the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games, and 100M gold winner at the 1986 Seoul and 1990 Beijing Asian Games.

“While Qatar has a lot of young athletes coming up in various disciplines, Ashraf Elseify (hammer throw) and middle-distance runner Abdulrahman Samba as special talents. These two athletes should do very well in the future," he was quoted as saying by Qatar Tribune.

Mansour also had praise for Qatar's Mariam Farid and Ahmed Budir.

"I’ve seen Mariam during training at the Aspire Academy and I would like to see her improve with her participation at the Doha Diamond League. Budir has been doing well and should touch new highs," he said.