When the third installment of the 2025 Diamond League meet takes centre stage in Doha, Qatar, on Friday (today), there will be no Nigerian athlete present amongst the stellar lineup of global track and field stars, set to descend on the Gulf nation.
The event, which will hold at the Suheim bin Hamad Stadium, will feature 45 Olympic and World Championships medallists from the last two years, with iconic Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce being the biggest name on the lineup.
Despite Nigerian athletes not making an appearance at the Diamond League event this weekend, Doha is once again poised to deliver thrilling early-season performances, as the Clayton sisters Tia and Tina will compete in the women’s 100m alongside fellow countrywoman Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jamaica).
Multiple World and Olympic champion Fraser-Pryce, has already announced that the 2025 season will be her last as a professional athlete, and will be looking forward to making a statement, having featured at last weekend’s World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China.
The only Nigerian athlete to have featured in the Diamond League this year is world record holder Tobi Amusan, who was present in the first meet of the season held in Xiamen, China on April 26. She took part in the women’s 100m hurdles event, where she placed fourth in a season’s best time of 12.74s, behind Danielle Williams of Jamaica, Grace Stark of the USA and Marione Fourie of South Africa.
Amusan also partook in the second Diamond League meet of the season, held in Shanghai, China on May 3. She finished in fourth position once again in the women’s 100m hurdles, with a time of 12.66s, behind American Grace Stark who set a world leading time of 12.42s, Danielle Williams of Jamaica and Marione Fourie of South Africa.
Amusan’s absence in Doha could be attributed to her participation at the Adidas Atlanta City Games, set to take place at Piedmont Park in Georgia on May 17. She is penciled down to compete alongside fellow Team Nigeria athletes Favour Ofili and Ese Brume, who will all participate in their respective disciplines.
There will be a total of 14 events at the Diamond League meet in Doha on Friday.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
