The Diamond League is an annual collection of the top fourteen invitational athletics meetings for track and field competitions. The World Athletics (formerly known as the IAAF) one-day contests place the series at the top of the standings. The 14th event in the yearly schedule of outdoor track and field competitions, put on by World Athletics, is the Diamond League in 2023.
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The competition kicked off in May with the Doha Diamond League before visiting locations around the world, including Lausanne, Paris, Stockholm, London, and more. 13 separate cities hosted the 13 events that made up the festival. The 14th competition, which will also feature the renowned Diamond League finals, will take place in Eugene, USA.
Several Indians were a part of the league this year, but only three have qualified for the esteemed finals. These include Neeraj Chopra (Javelin throw), Avinash Sable (3000m Steeplechase) and M. Sreeshankar (Long Jump).
Neeraj Chopra (Javelin throw):
India’s Olympic gold medallist had a great season in the Diamond League, as he topped the charts in Doha and Lausanne with ease. He won silver in Zurich to qualify for the finals. He secured 23 points in the season and is third in the Diamond League points table. After securing another gold medal at the recent World Athletics Championship, the expectations from Chopra are high this time.
Avinash Sable (3000m Steeplechase):
Avinash Sable became a household name after his heroics at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022, where he secured a silver medal. Sable participated in three of the six Diamond League events that featured the men's 3000m steeplechase. Sable, a record-holder for her country, placed fifth in Stockholm, sixth in Silesia, and fifth in Xiamen, earning 11 points and securing sixth place in the overall standings.
M. Sreeshankar (Long Jump):
M. Sreeshankar, a silver medalist in the Commonwealth Games, placed third in Paris, fifth in Lausanne, and fifth in Zurich during his debut Diamond League season. In the overall standings, Sreeshankar placed third with 14 points, trailing only Simon Ehammer of Switzerland and Olympic and world champion Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece.
The finals of this year’s Diamond League are scheduled to take place on 16-17 September, at the Hayward Field in Eugene, United States. The event has been named Prefontaine Classic and will feature 16 events for men and women each.
