Qatar reaffirmed its status as a premier global sporting destination with two outstanding athletics showcases this month – the What Gravity Challenge on May 9 and the Doha Meeting, part of the 2025 Diamond League on May 16. These events highlighted the nation’s enduring commitment to elite sport, innovation and world-class organisation.
The What Gravity Challenge, envisioned by Qatar’s Olympic hero Mutaz Barshim – the three-time world champion high jumper – returned for its second edition in spectacular fashion. Held at the iconic Katara Amphitheatre, the competition combined sport and spectacle, featuring elite athletes in both men’s and women’s high jump for the first time.
With the likes of Olympic champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Eleanor Patterson, Hamish Kerr and Shelby McEwen participating, the event delivered high-flying action and thrilling moments. With a $155,000 prize pool and a trophy designed by Qatari sculptor Ahmed Al-Bahrani, the Challenge reflected Barshim’s ambition to “challenge limits and inspire future generations.”
A week later, attention turned to the Qatar Sports Club’s Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium for the Doha Meeting – the third stop of this year’s Diamond League. The event drew 45 Olympic and World Championships medallists across multiple disciplines and delivered both drama and excellence in front of a packed house. In the women’s 100m, 20-year-old Jamaican Tia Clayton emerged as the surprise star, sprinting to a world-leading 10.92 seconds. She outpaced her twin sister Tina, Britain’s Amy Hunt and legendary Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who finished fourth in what is expected to be her final season.
Letsile Tebogo of Botswana won the men’s 200m, though his 20.10-second finish showed he wasn’t at his sharpest, nearly being caught by American Courtney Lindsey. Botswana’s Tshepiso Masalela impressed in the 800m, clocking a world-best 1:43.11 to establish himself as a serious contender for the World Championships in Tokyo later this year.
Field events delivered equal excitement. Indian javelin icon Neeraj Chopra recorded a personal best of 90.23m, thrilling fans both in Doha and across social media. However, Germany’s Julian Weber stole the win with a final-round throw of 91.06m. In the high jump, Shelby McEwen topped Olympic champion Hamish Kerr with a 2.26m clearance. Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser marked a strong return in the 400m, while Kenya’s Faith Cherotich won the women’s 3000m steeplechase in a world-leading 9:05.08.
The event proved to be yet another blockbuster in the Qatari capital, which has welcomed the world’s top track and field stars for over two decades.
