By Sports Reporter/Doha

A vibrant and dazzling opening of the IAAF Diamond League 2015 season is anticipated as the prestigious series is about to get underway in Doha today.
For a sixth successive year, Qatar will host the kick-off meeting of the successful athletics top tier series.
IAAF president Lamine Diack, at a live-streamed pre-meeting press conference held in Doha yesterday, said, “2015 looks set to see the greatest ever athletics meeting in Doha. A star cast is headed by global champions such as Allyson Felix, Mo Farah, Sanya Richards-Ross and Asbel Kiprop.
“Doha annually has the honour to be the first competition of our global series, which includes the 14 best invitational track and field meetings in the world.
“We very much appreciate the continued support and enthusiasm for athletics shown by HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) president HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, and QOC general secretary Dr Thani Abdulrahman al-Kuwari. In the build-up to those championships, the IAAF Diamond League is playing an important role in developing an understanding and passion in the Gulf region for our sport.
With 14 meets in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the USA, the Diamond League encompasses 32 event disciplines with the best athletes in the world competing for USD 8mn in prize money.
“The series is more visible to fans around the world than ever before,” said Diack and added that, “our vision in 2009 was to create a new exciting product for athletics’ top invitational circuit.”
On behalf of the IDL Doha Organising Committee, Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF) president Dahlan al-Hamad welcomed all guests, athletes, officials and the media to Qatar for the Diamond League kick off.
“In line with our National Vision for 2030 and with the unlimited support of HH the Emir of the State of Qatar, we want to make ‘Sport for Life’ a lasting legacy for our nation. In Qatar athletics, we feel very happy and proud to host the sixth edition of the Doha Diamond League. We have set high standards in organising such an important and prestigious sporting event in previous years and we aim to continue at the highest possible level,” al-Hamad said.
“We have the means to justify our role as a key and trusted partner of IAAF. We are ready to welcome the world’s elite athletes, demonstrating our commitment that this year’s meeting will be of a very high calibre, with Olympic and World Champions competing.
“The focus is on the athletes, the protagonists of the Doha Diamond League, coming from 54 Nations from all across the world,” al-Hamad said.
“It is not a secret that athletes love competing in Doha for the facilities we offer, for our warm hospitality and of course for our ideal weather conditions, which enables them to achieve a high standard of performances.
“We have gained valuable experience in hosting large-scale athletics events with a global impact and this is exactly the reason why IAAF has entrusted us with the honour and responsibility to host the 2019 World Athletics Championships, the crown jewel of global Sports,” cited the QAF president.
Today’s schedule
17:30    Long Jump Women (DL)
17:35    Discus Throw Women (DL)
17:35    4x100m Girls
17:40    Shot Put Men (DL)
17:47    4x100m Boys
17:59    100m Girls
18:10    Pole Vault Men (DL)
18:10    100m Boys
18:22    100m Men Natl. Paralympics
18:25    High Jump Women (DL)
18:34    400m Asian Race Men
18:45    Opening Ceremony
19:04    400m hurdles Men (DL)
19:10    Javelin Throw Men (DL)
19:15    1500m Women (DL)
19:29    800m Men (DL)
19:40    Triple Jump Men (DL)
19:41    200m Women (DL)
19:52    100m hurdles Women (DL)
20:02    3,000mSC Women (DL)
20:23    100m Men (DL)
20:34    400m Women (DL)
20:45    3,000m Men (DL)