Checking in quickly from the departure lounge at Doha’s Hamad airport the night after I joined 16 reigning world and Olympic champions who assembled yesterday (Friday 5 May) to help kick off the 2017 IAAF Diamond League series, which got underway for the eighth straight year in the Qatari capital. Above is 2016 Olympic pole vault champion Katerina Stefanidi on the eve of the competition – she went on to win with a 4.80m clearance in her outdoor season’s debut.

The highlight?

Olympic champion Thomas Rohler’s 93.90m javelin throw in his season’s debut, an effort that elevated the German to No. 2 on the all-time list.

Here is my preview, lead-in coverage and report for the IAAF, track & field’s international governing body, and 17 photos below, all shot at the pre-meet press conference and a handful of athlete-media press points.

Pole vaulters Katerina Stefanidi and Sandi Morris, the 2016 Olympic gold and silver medalists

Jamaican sprinter Elaine Thompson, the 2016 Olympic 100m and 200m champion

Sprint hurdlers Nia Ali and Kendra Harrison

Olympic 800m champion Caster Semenya

Olympic shot put champion Michelle Carter

Sprinters Kim Collins, Andre de Grasse and Asafa Powell

Olympic javelin throw champion Thomas Rohler

And the press conference invitees

OK, one more: the ever-evolving Doha skyline.