As the crowds once again brought the energy to the Qatar Sports Club, athletes rose to the occasion delivering three world leads, two meeting records and two national records at the Mazzraty Doha Meeting (19 June).
Olympic triple jump champion Thea Lafond (DMA), second in 2025, had praised the atmosphere in the pre-event press conference, saying: “It’s super energetic in the stadium and it leans to big jumps and great energy. It’s a great feeling knowing you can come here and receive that kind of reception.”
While Lafond finished fifth on the day (14.52m/+0.8m/s), it was Davisleydi Velazco (CUB) who stole the show in the opening event of the night, claiming her second successive Diamond League win with a substantial personal best and world leading 15.13m (+1.3m/s). It was her first jump over 15m, the first legal 15m jump in the women’s triple jump since 2024, and the furthest since Cuba’s Yulimar Rojas’ 15.35m in 2023.
“I am grateful to God, to my coach and to all those who have been by my side in this journey,” said the 26-year-old. “I am super happy with this mark. It is a mark I expected, but not so soon in the season. My goal here was to win, no matter the mark I would make. I tried to focus on that and I achieved my goal.”
World champion Leyanis Pérez Hernández (CUB) finished second with a wind-assisted season’s best of 14.97m (+2.5m/s) with world indoor bronze medallist Saly Sarr (SEN) third with a PB of 14.86m (+1.2m/s).
While field events have stolen the show in Doha in previous years, the triple jump had yet to make its mark.
This evening, however, saw a shift from the vertical jumps and throws to the horizontal jumps as two-time world champion and former Olympic and European champion Pedro Pichardo (POR) leapt to a world-leading 17.71m (+0.4m/s) for victory in the men’s triple jump, matching the achievement of his female counterpart.
World indoor silver medallist Jordan Scott (JAM) was second in a PB of 17.69m (+1.7m/s) while in third, Algeria’s Yasser Mohammed Triki – world indoor bronze medallist – celebrated a national record of 17.67m (0.4m/s).
“I feel good. A bit of heat, but the competition happened to be good,” said Pichardo who is preparing for another tilt at the European title in Birmingham in August. “We are training very well.”
Emma Zapletalová (SVK) continued her outstanding form with a meeting record, world lead and national record of 52.30 in the women’s 400m hurdles. She was also the first athlete to benefit from the $5000 meeting record bonus introduced by organisers in 2025.
“I am very happy with my new personal best and national record,” said the world bronze medallist who made it four wins from four in the Diamond League this season. “I am also satisfied that I did it as we planned with my coach…when I start, I always focus on myself and do my best.”
Rushell Clayton (JAM) and Kemi Adekoya (BRN) finished second and third in season’s best times of 53.05 and 53.67 respectively.
In the flat 400m Marileidy Paulino (DOM) ran an incredible bend and pulled away in the home straight to win for the third time in Doha in a new meeting record of 48.91, also taking home a $5000 bonus.
In an impressive performance, the Olympic champion – who was opening her Wanda Diamond League campaign at the Qatar Sports Club – ran almost a second quicker than the previous meeting best, a mark of 49.83 shared by Doha’s 2025 winner and Olympic silver medallist Salwa Eid Naser (BRN) and multiple Olympic and world champion Allyson Felix (USA).
“Before I came here I wanted to open with 48 seconds and I succeeded,” said the 29-year-old former world champion who had told yesterday’s press conference that her main goal for this evening was to win again. “I am working hard on the weak points and I think that today I have proved that.”
2025 runner-up Natalia Bukowiecka (POL) finished second again in a 50.10 season’s best with Roxana Gómez (CUB) in third in 50.23.
In addition to Lafond and Paulino, the pre-event press conference had included Qatar’s former Olympic and world high jump champion Mutaz Essa Barshim, former Olympic and world javelin champion Neeraj Chopra (IND), and reigning world and Diamond League 110m hurdles champion Cordell Tinch (USA).
The trio had mixed fortunes on the night, but their presence was celebrated by the lively crowd at the Qatar Sports Club.
In a chaotic 110m hurdles race, Tinch – who is working his way back to form after a challenging start to the year – kept his cool as hurdles crashed around him to take his first Diamond League win of the 2026 season in 13.23 (+1.4m/s).
Asier Martínez (ESP) was second in a 13.27 season’s best with Thomas Wilkes (FRA) finishing third in a 13.28 PB.
Barshim – in his first Diamond league competition for two and a half years – finished second in the men’s high jump with a season’s best of 2.27m behind Italy’s Matteo Sioli who took his second Diamond League win of the season with a 2.29m season’s best. Ukraine’s Oleh Doroshchuk finished third (2.24m).
While not quite matching the dizzy heights (or distances) of the event in recent years, Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage (SRI), the current world leader, made it back-to-back Diamond League javelin wins with a best on the night of 88.68m.
Anderson Peters (GRN) was second (86.38m) and Curtis Thompson (USA) third (85.99m), while fan-favourite Chopra – who was a late addition to the field as he returns to fitness following a series of injuries – finished fourth with 85.69m.
Elsewhere in the field, world pole vault silver medallist Emmanouil Karalis (GRE) – the Greece national record holder with a best of 6.17m (indoors) – came agonisingly close to matching the 6.02m meeting record (Mondo Duplantis, 2022) but the bar crashed down after a fantastic effort initially appeared to see him go well clear.
Chris Nilsen (USA) jumped a season’s best of 5.92m for second with Sondre Guttormsen (NOR) finishing third on countback (5.92m).
On the track, conditions were better suited to the sprints.
In the men’s 200m three athletes went sub-20 with world finalist Sinesipho Dambile (RSA) clocking 19.74 (+1.8m/s) for his first Diamond League victory and a PB.
Makanakaishe Charamba (ZIM) took second in an equal-PB of 19.88 with Alexander Ogando (DOM) clocking 19.96 for a season’s best in third.
In the women’s 100, Kemba Nelson (JAM) flew out the blocks and held her form to run a quick 10.88 – albeit aided by a +2.5m/s wind – to take her first Diamond League win.
Zaynab Dosso (ITA) finished second in 11.01 with Patrizia van der Weken (LUX) in third (11.05).
In the women’s 800m, world indoor bronze medallist Addison Wiley (USA) took it on early and fought a brave battle in the home straight to finish strong in 1:57.98 (SB) ahead of Tsige Duguma (ETH) in second (1:58.08) and Halimah Nakaayi (UGA) in a season’s best in third (1:58.41).
Birke Haylom (ETH) was a dominant winner in the women’s 1500m in 3:59.89. She appeared to tire going into the home straight but the hard work had been done as she led an Ethiopian 1-2-3 with Saron Berhe in second (4:02.61) and Haregeweyni Kalayu in third (4:03.56).
The pace picked up noticeably at the bell in the women’s 5000m, but there were at least seven athletes still in the mix as they stretched out down the back straight. Carnage ensued with two fallers at 200m to go and Olympic finalist Medina Eisa (ETH) found herself breaking clear to take the win in 14:53.91 and lead an Ethiopian top three ahead of Likina Amebaw (14:54.37) and Marta Alemayo (14:55.65).
Conditions arguably affected the men’s 3000m steeplechase but multiple Olympic and world champion Soufiane El Bakkali watched the race unfold and followed every move, ensuring he was always in contention without having to single-handedly push the pace.
He moved into the lead with 600m to go and behind him, the chasing athletes were working hard and evidently hurting.
He took the win in 8:09.28 – a tough effort to achieve his 8:10 goal in hot conditions – but was a hugely popular victor in front of a Doha crowd who were delighted to see the return of the Moroccan star.
