Stars Headline Diamond Doha

Vivian Cheruiyot for Doha 2012

Doha, Qatar – Kenenisa Bekele, Vivian Cheruiyot, Genzebe Dibaba and Pamela Jelimo will be among the headline acts when the 2012 Samsung Diamond League season of 14 meetings blasts off on Friday 11 May in Doha, Qatar.

The four stars were announced at a press conference today in Doha attended by Meeting Director Abdulla Al Zaini, Deputy Director of Support Services Adel Al Baker, Deputy Director of Sport Eissa Al Harami, Athletes Consultant Sandro Giovanelli, and Media Director Fahad Al Hajri.

Bekele (ETH), the World record holder at both 5000 and 10,000m, has amassed 16 World titles on the track and in Cross Country and is the reigning Olympic champion at both distances. Cheruiyot (KEN), is the reigning World 5000m and 10,000m champion following a stellar 2011 season in which she also become World Cross Country champion. Dibaba (ETH), after junior career World championship victories on the track and cross country, took her first senior World title over 1500m at the World Indoor Championships in Istanbul last month to cap a superb indoor season. Jelimo (KEN), the 2008 Olympic 800m champion, signalled a full comeback from injury this past indoor season which also culminated with her triumph in Istanbul.

Also confirmed today were Sudan’s two-time World Indoor 800m champion Abubaker Kaki who was a silver medallist last month in Doha, who will battle against Kenyan Alfred Kirwa Yego, 2007 World champion and Moroccan record holder Amine Laalou. In the women’s 800m, 22-year-old Indian record holder (1:59.17) and Daegu semi-finalist Luca Tintu will take on Jelimo.

As the first wave of major names for the meeting was announced, organisers also launched their social media platforms on both Twitter and Facebook. For further information visit the central Samsung Diamond League website and the Doha meeting website.

IAAF

Samsung Diamond League – 2012 Calendar

Doha, QAT – 11 May

Shanghai, CHN – 19 May

Rome, ITA – 31 May

Eugene, USA – 2 June

Oslo, NOR – 7 June

New York, USA – 9 June

Paris, FRA – 6 July

London, GBR – 13 / 14 July

Monaco, MON – 20 July

Stockholm, SWE – 17 August

Lausanne, SUI – 23 August

Birmingham, GBR – 26 August

Zurich, SUI – 30 August

Brussels, BEL – 7 September