Olympics 2012: Athletics Fever Builds Ahead of the Games
The world’s top athletes will clash in Doha as they enter the home straight for London 2012.
The worlds top athletes will clash in Doha as they enter the home straight for London 2012. On Friday the Qatari capital will stage the opening round of this years Diamond League the UEFA Champions League of International Athletics. With the Olympics less than three months away, medal hopefuls will see this as a chance to inflict early psychological blows. As usual, all eyes will be on the 100m contests. The mens race will feature an all-star cast including Olympic Gold Medalists Justin Gatlin of the U.S., and Jamaicans Asafa Powell and Nesta Carter. Gatlin heads into the race with added confidence having picked up the world indoor crown earlier this year. But Powell is determined to make 2012 his own. London could be his last shot to win the 100m title, and hell want to kick the season off positively with a win in Doha. Speaking about the Olympics earlier today, he told reporters Its not my last shot but Im approaching it is as if it is. One notable absentee is current 100m Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Usain Bolt. Hes expected to join the party at the third Diamond League meet in Rome on May 31st. By not appearing from the start, he might be telling his foes enjoy the spotlight while you can. 
The womens 100m showdown will be another mouthwatering affair. The reigning Olympic 100m champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, will face the 200m Olympic champion and fellow Jamaican, Veronica Campbell-Brown. To add fuel to the fire, three-time 200m world champion, Allyson Felix, will also feature. Having won the 100m event in Doha twice already, shes become a crowd favourite. Doha has been very good to me in the past and I hope it will be again tomorrow said the American at a press conference earlier today. The outcomes of these 100m showdowns will be intriguing. However track and field is not all about the sprinters. Although the 100m contests do provide the most excitement, the distance races can be just as dramatic, and often feature some of the fiercest rivalries. For instance, in the 3000m womens contest, Vivian Cheruiyot and Meseret Defar will face each other for the 24th time. While in the mens, East African bragging rights are at stake. Ethiopias double Olympic 10,000m champion Kenenisa Bekele, will want to send a pre-Olympic message to his Kenyan rivals Augustine Choge and Eliud Kipchoge. 
The field events will also have Olympic implications. The long jump could be a prelude to a Battle for Britain with Greg Rutherford squaring off against Chris Tomlinson. Also in the womens triple jump, Russias former world champion, Tatyana Lebedeva, will be looking for revenge at London over Francoise Mbango Etone of France who beat her for the Beijing title. The veteran Russian will want to gain a mental advantage in Doha. Fridays event will take place at Qatar Sports Club. It has a capacity of 19,000 and has hosted some very ruckus crowds including last years WWE event and numerous Asian Cup Football matches. Hopefully, the Doha fans can help the athletes set the tone for a fiery final march toward the Olympics.