Diamond League Doha 2022 Highlights

Every spectator has his or her preferences in athletics. Some like running, others like high jump, and the last ones like shot put. Therefore, such a meeting is a great bouquet of numerous disciplines that are performed in one evening. If you are not a track and field specialist or a connoisseur of the scene, you will have seen or noticed many faces for the first time. All the more pleasing that some clearly stood out from the crowd with unique performances.

93.07 m Javelin Throw Men - Anderson Peters, GRN
Probably the highlight of this evening were the distances in the javelin throw, which Anderson Peters from Grenada achieved. And he proved that he had a good day that evening with his first throw of over 88.96m, clearly beating his previous best of 87.31m. Javelin throwers who throw at or above the 90 meter mark are absolute top throwers. You don't experience something like that every day. But also the German Julian Weber did not let himself down with 83.95 meters. The Czech Jakub Vadlejch was even stronger with 84.63 m in the first throw. In the end it was an exhilarating fight between the Czech and the Grenadian. With his fifth throw Peters exceeded the so decisive 90 m mark with 90.19 m and again set a new record. But Vadlejch did not let up, because he had not come here to watch his opponent and maybe eat a bratwurst, no for sure not!, and promptly outdid him with a determined throw with the distance of 90.88 m. Now the Czech was in the lead. And now it was "all or nothing" for the man from Grenada and he chose all. He took a run-up and hurled the javelin mightily and high into the air to set a new record: 93.07m. This is not only his own personal best (PB), but also the fifth best javelin throw of all time, at the same time continental record (AR) and world annual best (WL). It will be hard to believe, but actually the German Thomas Röhler still holds the meeting record with 93.60m. But hopefully this will not matter to the Grenadian in view of his incredible performance!

High jump thriller
The men's high jump also had something of a small thriller. As one of the first, the Italian Gianmarco Tamberi had to fight, although he was one of the favorites with his best mark of 2.39 m. But this was clearly not his evening. But this was clearly not his evening. Already at the starting height of 2.16 m he broke once and was eliminated already at the height of 2.24 m. What a disappointment. The real favorite was Mutaz Essa Barshim from Qatar with a best of 2.43 m! He had a duel with the Korean Sanghyeok Woo at the end. Woo was the first to clear the height of 2.33m, very close to his best of 2.35m. When Barshim broke the bar on his first attempt at 2.33m, he didn't try again, but had the bar set at 2.35m straight away. That was risky, but possible in view of his best mark of 2.43m. But it came as it had to come, and Barshim broke both attempts above 2.35 m. This meant that his calculation did not work out. This meant that his math didn't add up and Woo won the high jump with a height of 2.33m. What is exciting about his career and development is the fact that he has increased his best mark from year to year starting at 2.13 m in 2012 to 2.35 m in 2021. What is in it this year?

More highlights
In the women's 200 m, Gabrielle Thomas from the USA won with 21.98 s, setting a new meeting record. She left the Jamaican Shericka Jackson with 22.07 s and the British Dina Asher-Smith with 22.37 s clearly behind her. The women's shot put was decided by three Americans. In the end, Chase Ealey prevailed with 19.51m, close to her best mark of 19.68m. Maggie Ewen finished with 19.32m, but Jessica Ramsey will be disappointed with her 18.99m in view of her best mark of 20.24m, with which she started the competition as the favorite. In the men's 400m hurdles, Brazil's Alison dos Santos produced a fabulous run with a final time of 47.24s, with which he set a world best and a new meeting record. The favored American Rai Benjamin with a personal best of 46.17 s had to be content with the second place with 47.49 s. In the women's 100 m hurdles, Kendra Harrison of the USA with 12.43 s, Tobi Amusan of Nigeria with 12.44 s and Britany Anderson of Jamaica also with 12.44 s delivered an exciting race with a razor-thin finish. The men's 200m was decided by two US-Americans. In the final straight, Noah Lyles with a final time of 19.72 s left his compatriot Fred Kerley with a final time of 19.75 s no chance.

Now the next event is already waiting: the Diamond League Meeting in Birmingham on May 21, 2022.