Stars come out as IAAF Diamond League is launched

In a landmark launch for athletics, and on a night which revealed yet more talent in Sanya Richards, a who’s who of present-day stars from the sport used a string of superlatives here Saturday evening (21) to heighten anticipation ahead of the eagerly-awaited IAAF Diamond League. Now just six months away from the first meeting in Doha, the IAAF Diamond League has among its objectives a determination to see greater frequency of competition between the big names. And Asafa Powell, the former 100m World record holder, assured those assembled for a launch dinner in the Fairmont Hotel that the stars would, indeed, meet more often.

Referring to his rivalry with fellow Jamaican and 100/200m World record holder Usain Bolt, and US record holder Tyson Gay, Powell said: "We three haven’t really been competing together a lot so it’s going to be an exciting year. Everyone in the entire world wants to see the three of us together a lot more so it’s going to happen."

Bolt said: "It’s going to be awesome so people look out – it’s going to be wonderful." And Gay added: "I’m definitely looking forward to it. Myself and Asafa – we got a taste of it last year and I think we put on a great show." On the 2009 World Athletics Tour, Bolt and Gay did not meet and Bolt raced Powell only twice. However, Gay and Powell met on several occasions.

Richards, the 400m World champion, said of the IAAF Diamond League. "It is exactly what our sport needs right now to inject some excitement not only for the fans but also for the athletes. I think it’s going to be amazing."

Having given her view, Richards remained on stage as guest presenter and interviewer, impressing everybody with her grasp of statistics but, above all else, her personality. In the week that Oprah Winfrey announces the end of her long running talk show, too. First steps to a TV chat show one day or just coincidence?

Introducing Croatia’s Blanka Vlasic as the "second best high jumper all time, clearing 2.08," Richards invited her to comment on the concept of the Diamond League. "The Diamond League contracts are set up to bring the world’s best athletes to compete in head-to-head competition," Richards said, leading Vlasic to reply: "It’s a great opportunity to jump with the best high jumpers. It’s a big motivation for me."

Richards dangled the World record carrot in front of Vlasic: "There is a $50,000 bonus for every World record broken during the IAAF Diamond league – you’re so close, 2.09 is the World record". To which Vlasic replied: "I feel it coming so I hope it will happen in the right place at the right time."

Kenenisa Bekele, Ethiopia’s World and Olympic 5000/10,000m champion, said: "I’m very happy to compete at this new challenge." Andreas Thorkildsen, the World and Olympic men’s Javelin champion, from Norway, added: "All the best throwers want to be together. If you lack the best performers you don’t feel the victory as high."

Richards noted that Yelena Isinbayeva had set 27 World records in the Pole Vault and said that "like the rest of us you’re signed up to compete in seven events" to which the Russian responded: "I’m excited about this new idea and I hope that this will promote our sport all over the world. I like something new, I like something fresh."

Diamond League Board members and meeting organisers Wilfried Meert, Rajne Soderberg and Patrick Magyar spoke of how the sport had changed and Soderberg said that the League would "tick all the boxes so far as excitement goes."

IAAF President, and Chairman of the Board of the IAAF Diamond League, Lamine Diack said that this "new adventure" would provide "world class sport and entertainment" and would "enhance the worldwide appeal of athletics by going outside Europe for the first time."

David Powell for the IDL