China gets 2nd track meet on global Diamond League circuit

Published Oct. 21, 2019 4:42 p.m. ET

MONACO (AP) — The Diamond League track and field series is adding a second meeting in China next season, when it grows to 15 venues in total.

The IAAF announced the schedule Monday, with China given back-to-back meetings in May. The first will be in a city yet to be decided, with the second in Shanghai.

The season starts as usual in Doha, Qatar, although the date has been moved to April 17 from a usual early-May slot.

Other changes include Gateshead replacing Birmingham as the second stop in England. The Birmingham stadium is being renovated for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Zurich will host the finals on Sept. 11, with Brussels remaining on the circuit as a non-finals meeting.

The only American stop is on June 7 at Eugene, Oregon, the 2021 world championships host.

To entice television viewers, meetings will have a 90-minute international broadcast slot instead of two hours. It will focus on 11 or 12 disciplines.

The IAAF says it is creating a second-tier World Athletics Continental Tour series promoting events edged out of Diamond League broadcasts.