PREVIEW | Eight Australians to light up Doha Diamond League

Published Thu 04 May 2023

The countdown is on for the return of the world’s premier annual athletics series which begins at Friday’s Doha Diamond League, with eight Australians to feature led by triple Australian champion Jessica Hull and the return of global bronze medallist Nina Kennedy.

The 2023 Diamond League can be viewed in Australia live and free via the Diamond League YouTube channel, with the full start list and timetable to be found HERE. All times below are AEST.

1:04am Women’s Pole Vault:

The three best female pole vaulters in the world as indicated by the 2022 World Athletics Championships podium are set to reunite in Doha, with bronze medallist Nina Kennedy (Paul Burgess and James Fitzpatrick) poised for a rematch with the United Sates duo of Katie Moon and Sandi Morris.

Winning her first global medal before coasting to Commonwealth gold and the Diamond League title, the Australian record holder’s career-best year could only be dampened by a stress fracture in her back upon returning home. With her position at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest all but locked away, the 25-year-old will jump off 12 steps in her first competition since September, with an emphasis on regaining the confidence and form that saw her stocks soar in 2022.

Ranking equal sixth in the field on personal best (4.82m), Kennedy will jump unfazed by the numbers having proven herself as the fiercest of competitors.

1:15am Men’s Discus:

A Diamond League regular in 2022, Matthew Denny (Dale Stevenson) is back for another year amongst the world’s premier discus men.

Throwing a career-best 67.26m to clinch the 2022 Commonwealth title just weeks after finishing sixth at the World Championships with a 66.47m effort, the Allora product launched himself back into prominence on the world stage after finishing fourth at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Coming up against the Swedish duo of Daniel Stahl (71.86m) and Simon Petterson (70.42m), along with Slovenian sensation Kristjan Ceh (71.27m) who won all five Diamond League appearances in 2022 – Denny will quickly gain an indication of where he stands on the world stage.

Having established a new coaching setup, Denny is aiming to have all cylinders firing by the 2023 World Athletics Championships.

2:48am Women’s 100m Hurdles:

Unbeaten from eight stars throughout the domestic season, Michelle Jenneke (Gary Bourne) confirmed that she is back in a big way.

With the nine fastest times of her career coming from her last 11 races, the 29-year-old has emerged as one of the nation’s leading athletes with six qualifiers to her name for the 2023 World Athletics Championships. Jenneke will have to rise once again to take on reigning Olympic champion and world bronze medallist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (Puerto Rico) in Doha, along with the United States pairing of Nia Ali and Tonea Marshall.

Already the second fastest Australian in history at 12.66-seconds behind only Sally Pearson, Jenneke appears set for a dream run in 2023 beginning in Doha.

3:23am Men’s 3000m:

Seldom are Australian athletes more familiar with the Diamond League circuit than Stewart McSweyn (Nic Bideau), with the Australian record holder set to take on the world’s biggest names over 3000m alongside teammate Matthew Ramsden (Nic Bideau).

McSweyn’s 7:28.02 national record ranks him second in the field on time, but with a host of athletes stepping up from the 1500m and across from the 3000m steeplechase, the King Island product will open his international campaign with a chance to even the ledger with Kenya’s Ishmael Kipkurui – who defeated him at February’s Maurie Plant Meet – Melbourne.

Ramsden will race with less pressure yet equal expectation, with the stubborn competitor determined to make his mark in 2023.

Reigning Australian 1500m and 5000m champion Callum Davies will pace the race.

3:50am Women’s 1500m:

Australia’s resurgent crop of female middle-distance athletes were touted as world-class throughout the 2023 Chemist Warehouse Summer Series, and three of the best will be out to prove just that over 1500m in Doha.

Australian record holder and reigning national champion over 1500m, 3000m and 5000m Jessica Hull (self-coached) will be joined by Commonwealth bronze medallist Abbey Caldwell (Gavin Burren) and World Championships finalist Georgia Griffith (Nic Bideau) in a field featuring eight women who have shattered four-minutes – headed by Kenyan former world record holder Faith Kipyegon (3:50.37).

With the trio set to face the might of East Africa in the form of six Ethiopians and two Kenyans in the 14-woman field, the early-season test against the best is expected to produce strong results and an indication of just how far the Australian women can go on the world stage in 2023.

Australia’s Sarah Billings will pace the race.