Allen & Moon off to Doha for Wanda Diamond League season opener...
While pros have been competing outdoors, often alongside collegians in the United States during the spring, the pro season truly kicks off this weekend.
The Wanda Diamond League season starts Friday May 5th in Doha with the opening meet of the season, the Seashore Group Doha Meeting.
Washington State alum CJ Allen (Luke Lu/Drake Relays photo) and former WSU volunteer coach and reigning Olympic champion Katie Moon are entered in the world's premier track and field series that, for the first time, finishes with the Diamond League finals in the United States at the Nike Prefontaine Classic in September at Eugene's Historic Hayward Field on September 16-17.
Allen, who finished third in last year's Diamond League final in Zürich, is one of four Americans in the field, led by Olympic silver medalist Rai Benjamin, who was second at the world championships in Eugene.
Allen, who is presently ranked number 8 in the world, heads into Doha after winning the 400 hurdles last Saturday at the Drake Relays, where he ran 48.78 in the rain.
Moon, currently the world's number 3 ranked vaulter, is making her outdoor season debut after a short four meet indoor season that saw her win three meets in New York, Liévin, France & Albuquerque in a span of seven days.
She'll compete against a field that includes her Atlanta based training partner and world indoor champ Sandi Morris, 2016 Olympic champ and Stanford alum Katerina Stefanidi of Greece, and Diamond Trophy winner Nina Kennedy of Australia.
The meet will be streamed live on the Peacock app Friday starting at 9 am Pacific time, with an encore presentation on CNBC Sunday May 7th at 9 am Pacific time.
NOTE: World Athletics, and the Wanda Diamond League contributed to this report.
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