A GLITTERING cast, including 24 world and Olympic champions, graced the opening Diamond League meeting of the year in Doha last night, but the event went ahead without a sponsor, suggesting the world governing body has some work to do, even though the event itself far from lacked credibility.

UK highlights were muted and though it would be imprudent to be critical so early in the season, performances from the British contingent in Qatar hint at a possible Olympic hangover come the World Championships in Moscow.

In a headline one-lap battle between the world 400m champion Amantle Montsho of Botswana and Olympic 200m champion Allyson Felix, Britain's former world and Olympic champion and London 2012 silver medallist Christine Ohuruogu was a remote third. Montsho finished in 49.88 seconds with America's World Athlete of the Year on 50.19 and Ohuruogu on 50.53. It was a season's best for all three.

The US will feel they have struck first blood as they attempt to reclaim sprint credibilty after humiliation in London 2012. Justin Gatlin, the 2004 Olympic 100m champion who returned from a doping suspension to claim bronze last year, showed that he, and US sprinting, are far from a spent force. He took the 100m in 9.97. His compatriot, Michael Rodgers, and Jamaican Nesta Carter were both given 9.99, but the American got the photo verdict for second.

Carter was only sixth fastest among his countrymen last year, so his time may serve as a wake-up call to world record-holder Usain Bolt, who opened his season with his slowest ever time, 10.09, in Grand Cayman. He had to come from behind to beat compatriot Kemar Bailey-Cole, ranked only seventh among Jamaicans.

Carter has helped his country to the world relay record, and with a 100m best of 9.78, will be a force to reckon with next year in Glasgow. And while it may be premature to suggest that Mark Lewis-Francis's future is now all behind him, sixth in the B race with 10.38 is way below his once-commanding pace.

Every discipline takes place seven times during the Diamond League in which athletes score points and share $8m. Ohuruogu, attempting to shake accusations of being purely a championship performer, will contest all seven meetings. Her 50.56 in her opening race in Jamaica was her best start, but she has a lot to find.

Likewise, the International Association of Athletics Federations, seeking a replacement for Samsung, sponsors for the past three years. Despite some outstanding performances, a procession of Africans dominating events from 800m up is not calculated to win the endorsement of companies seeking global exposure. In the four events beyond 800m (men's and women's 1500, women's 3000m steeplechase, and men's 3000m) there were a total of 63 competitors. All but six were African-born.

The programme featured 12 men's and seven women's events – effectively a cultural revolution since I attended Arabia's first grand prix meeting here in 1997. That emancipation is to be applauded. There were no women's events at all then.

World record-holder and Olympic champion David Rudisha maintained his domination at 800m. The Kenyan won in 1min 43.87sec, world's best this year, with Britain's Michael Rimmer sixth in 1:44.97 and Olympic finalist Andrew Osagie eighth 1:45. 41. Sheffield's Mukhtar Mohammed was fifth in the two-lap B race with 1:47.70.

Ukraine's Bohan Bodarenko took the high jump with 2.33 metres. Britain's Olympic medallist, Robbie Grabarz, was fourth (2.24) and Samson Oni eleventh (2.19). Shara Proctor, only eighth in the long jump line-up, finished sixth (6.82m) outclassed by America's Olympic champion, Brittney Reese, whose 7.25m was a lifetime best, world leader this year, and a meeting record.

Michael Tinsley, America's Olympic runner-up, claimed the 400m hurdles in 48.92 as Jack Green, fourth in London, failed to finish.

The US swept the podium in the 100m hurdles with Dawn Harper-Nelson claiming victory in 12.60. Britain's Tiffany Porter was fourth, but just one hundredth down on second in a blanket finish, timed at 12.74 – a season's best and inside what stood as the UK record until her arrival from the US. Porter also had the satisfaction of beating double world indoor champion Lolo Jones.

Abeba Aregawi won the women's 1500m in a meeting record of 3:56.60. She was fifth in the Olympics for Ethiopia, but then switched allegiance to Sweden, for whom she won European indoor gold this year – a formidable addition to the challenge which British runners now must face.

The IAAF president, Lamine Diack, insists the Diamond League is "a valuable property worthy of our direct investment" and that finding an immediate replacement sponsor, "is not a question of life or death".

The worldwide Diamond League TV audience last year was 223m in 132 countries.