De Grasse seeks redemption against Gatlin at Diamond League opener

Perhaps it was Andre De Grasse's way of telling Justin Gatlin the challenge is on for 2017.

At the recent IAAF World Relays, De Grasse turned his head left three times in the direction of the 2004 Olympic 100-metre champion before turning up the heat and beating the 35-year-old Gatlin in a heat race.

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However, the battle didn't carry over to the final after De Grasse was deprived the chance to run his leg after a botched handover by his Canadian teammates. Next stop: Friday's season-opening Diamond League event in Doha, Qatar (CBCSports.ca, 12 p.m. ET).

De Grasse, 22, is coming off victories at the recent world relays and Florida Relays to follow up a 2016 season in which he won three medals in Rio, the most by any Canadian sprinter at a single Olympics, including a 9.91-second personal best in the men's 100.

"Andre is in a great mindset, extremely confident this year and knows he belongs, especially after the Rio performance, so I don't think it matters who he is competing against," said CBC Sports track analyst Donovan Bailey, who won the 100 gold medal in then-world record time of 9.84 seconds at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

The field in Doha also includes two-time world 100 bronze medallist Asafa Powell of Jamaica, South Africa's Akani Simbine – the owner of five of the eight fastest times in the world this year — and American Ronnie Baker, who has run a personal-best 9.99 this season.

But many eyes will be on De Grasse and Gatlin, who clocked 9.89 in Rio to capture silver after running 9.80 and 9.83 a month before the Olympics.

At the 2015 world championships in Beijing, 2016 Olympic champion Usain Bolt ran 9.79 to edge Gatlin (9.80) while the relatively unknown De Grasse surprised many by sharing bronze with American Trayvon Bromell in a photo finish that saw both men run 9.92.

'Andre can't hide right now'

Gatlin and De Grasse faced each other last May at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore., with the former topping the eight-man field in 9.88 while De Grasse disappointed, finishing last in 10.05.

"Andre can't hide right now, he's not going to surprise anyone," Bailey said. "He's going to continue to establish himself as one of the best in the world."

After beating De Grasse in the 200 in Rio, the six-foot-four Bolt believed the Canadian sprinter would eventually have stronger starts than him and cited De Grasse's five-foot-eight frame.

De Grasse told CBC Sports recently he is motivated to beat Bolt before the eight-time Olympic gold medallist and 11-time world champion retires after the 2017 worlds in August in London, but first things first.

Last week, De Grasse's coach Stuart McMillan told Track and Field News that rhythm is the greatest strength in the sprinter's race and that De Grasse needs to be patient through the acceleration phase during competition.

"I knew that we were in trouble in the Olympic [100] final when he was in third place at 40 metres," said McMillan of De Grasse, who didn't begin serious training this season until January. "He rushed his acceleration and [needed] to be further to the back. He didn't understand that you rhythmically rise over time [in a race]."

Early this season, McMillan added De Grasse's top-end speed is where it needs to be.

Here's a breakdown of the other Canadian content in Doha:

Phylicia George: The 29-year-old arrives in Doha with confidence after placing third in 12.85 seconds at last month's Grenada Invitational in St. George's. The Scarborough, Ont., native also made an impression at the Millrose Games in New York in mid-February, winning the 60-metre hurdles in 7.98 and recording a Canadian leading time of 7.27 in the 60 sprint. Last summer in Rio, the two-time Olympian was eighth in the 100 hurdles (12.89).

Three of the top five in the Rio final are set to compete in Doha, including American Nia Ali, who won Olympic silver. Great Britain's Cindy Ofili was only 0.03 seconds short of a bronze medal in Rio while Germany's Cindy Rolender, who collected silver at the 2015 world championships, is another hurdler to watch in Doha.

Alysha Newman: The Canadian senior outdoor record holder (4.61 metres) in women's pole vault set a national indoor mark of 4.65 in January at the Fred Foot track and field meeting in Toronto. The 22-year-old former hurdler and gymnast from London, Ont., finished 17th at last summer's Rio Olympics.

Newman is part of strong field for Friday's event at 11:15 am ET, joining 2016 Olympic gold and silver medallists Ekaterini Stefanidi of Greece and American Sandi Morris.

New championship format

Athletes will continue to compete head-to-head this season but the road travelled to a Diamond League title is different.

In the jumps, throws and long-distance events, athletes can earn points in four qualifying meets while those in the other disciplines could collect points in six qualifying competitions.

At a qualifying event, an athlete can pick up one to eight points, depending on where they finish. Once the last qualifying meet has been held, the top eight or 12 athletes in the overall standings advance to the final, to be held either in Zurich (Aug. 24) or Brussels, Belgium (Sept. 1).

Diamond League on CBC Sports

CBC Sports is provided live streaming coverage of all 14 Diamond League meets this season at CBCSports.ca and via the CBC Sports app for iOS and Android devices. TV coverage will be featured as part of the network's Road To The Olympic Games weekend broadcasts throughout the season.

The following is a list of upcoming Diamond League meets on CBCSports.ca and the CBC Sports app:

• Doha (Friday, 12 p.m. ET)
• Shanghai (May 13, 7 a.m. ET)
• Eugene (May 27, 4 p.m. ET)
• Rome (June 8, 2 p.m. ET)
• Oslo (June 15, 2 p.m. ET)
• Stockholm (June 18, 2 p.m. ET)
• Paris (July 1, 2 p.m. ET)
• Lausanne (July 6, 2 p.m. ET)
• London (July 9, 9 a.m. ET)
• Rabat (July 16, 2 p.m. ET)
• Monaco (July 21, 2 p.m. ET)
• Birmingham (Aug. 20, 2 p.m. ET)
• Zurich (Aug. 24, 3 p.m. ET)
• Brussels (Sept. 1, 3 p.m. ET)