Olympic high jump champions Hamish Kerr and Mutaz Essa Barshim will face at Doha Diamond League

Olympic high jump champions Hamish Kerr (New Zealand) and Mutaz Essa Barshim (Qatar) will face at the Doha Diamond League on May 16.

Hamish Kerr and Mutaz Essa Barshim were on the Olympic podium together in Paris last year, with the Qatari high jumper winning bronze and the New Zealand’s athlete earning gold.

“I’m excited to open the Diamond League season in Doha. My confidence has been growing over the last 12 months and it’s an absolute privilege to have the opportunity to jump against such high-caliber athletes. The focus for the summer is the World Championships in Tokyo”, said Hamish Kerr.

Mutaz Essa Barshim will have the support of his compatriots in Doha.

“The high jump is my passion and although I’ve made history, I’m still hungry for more”, said Mutaz Essa Barshim, who holds the Qatari record of 2.43m, the second-highest result in the event. “After the Olympics, I made the decision not to compete this winter season. I’ve been in the sport for a long time and you have to make decisions based on your feelings. The World Championships in Tokyo are my main goal for the year and in order to perform at my best there, I have to prioritize my competitions before that”, added he.