Herculean task for Chebet, Loibach in Doha

World 5000m silver medalist Beatrice Chebet will open her track season on Friday 10 May as she goes up against a stacked field at the Doha Diamond League (DL) in her specialty.

Doha Meeting is the third of the 2024 series that comprises 15 meetings across four different continents and started with Xiamen (China) on 20 April. It concludes with a single final across two days in Brussels (13-14 September).

Compatriot, Grace Loibach (14:42.63) who last raced the track distance in June last year at the Paris DL is also making her debut on track this season, having raced on the roads in March and April.

Mary Moraa out to dominate in Doha Diamond League

Chebet, who bagged the World Cross Country Championships senior women's title in Serbia in March is the quickest in a field that has more than 10 Ethiopian runners led by world bronze medalist Taye Ejgayehu (14:12.98).

In her last international track race in the distance, in September last year at the Prefontaine Classic, Chebet clocked 14:05.92, a personal best (PB), finishing behind Gudaf Tsegay’s world record-breaking 14:00.21.

Having missed out on the DL title thanks to Tsegay, who had competed in the DL final on a wild card, breaking Faith Kipyegon’s world mark (14:05.20) with a spectacular run, Chebet is keen to start her track season on a high with hopes of making up for last year’s title miss.

Four of the starters have dipped under 15 minutes this season with more than ten holding PBs quicker.

Meanwhile, Commonwealth Games 3000m steeplechase champion Abraham Kibiwott is also in action as he looks to continue his good form after clocking a world lead of 8:20.54 for his second win at the Kip Keino Classic as he opened his track season.

Olympics bronze medalist Benjamin Kigen, Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Amos Serem, and Wilberforce Kones are the other Kenyans in the race where they take on a strong Ethiopian squad led by three-time world silver medalist Lamecha Girma, 2019 Diamond League trophy winner Getnet Wale and the 2022 WU20 silver medalist Samuel Firewu.

Schedule for Doha Diamond League

17:18 100m Boys

17:26 100m Girls

17:34 4x100m Boys

17:42 4x100m Girls

17:50 400m Men Heat B

17:55 Discus Men

18:02 Pole Vault Women

18:08 800m Men

18:18 400m Men Heat A

18:23 Long Jump Men

18:28 400m Women

18:38 100m Men

18:48 400m Hurdles Men

19:04 400m Men

19:10 High Jump Women

19:13 800m Women

19:23 200m Men

19:34 1500m Women

19:42 Javelin Men

19:45 5000m Women

20:08 1500m Men

20:18 100m Hurdles Women

20:28 100m Women

20:38 400m Hurdles Men

20:48 3000m Steeplechase Men