Olympics-bound Shivpal rues missing Diamond League due to COVID-19 pandemic

Javelin thrower Shivpal Singh is relieved that he has already qualified for the Olympics but rues the fact that he will miss out on rubbing shoulders with the world's best in the prestigious Diamond League series due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eight events of the 14-leg Diamond League series, where only top athletes are invited to take part, have been postponed so far amid uncertainty of whether any athletics competition will be held at all this year due to the pandemic.

All Diamond League meets scheduled till June 13 have been postponed because of the pandemic which has killed more than 2 lakh people globally. The one still on schedule is the London leg on July 4. The grand finale is slated for September 11 in Zurich.

"It was a great feeling to be able to compete with the best in the world last year and I was looking forward to the Diamond League action this year also. But the COVID-19 has turned the world upside down and my plans are also affected," Shivpal told PTI in an ...