DOHA, Qatar — As the world track and field championships got underway Friday before a smattering of fans in an air-conditioned outdoor stadium, the event seemed more notable for where it was being held than for the athletes who had come to compete in this sun-parched city on the Persian Gulf.

Even as officials expressed hope that a cluster of up-and-comers could create buzz for a sport that, now more than ever, needs the attention, the absences of big-time stars were a major concern.

The list of the missing was topped by Usain Bolt, a thunderclap on the track and the fastest man ever. An 11-time world champion, Bolt was synonymous with this event for more than a decade. He collected 100- and 200-meter titles like coupons, smashed world records and even nudged his profession toward the mainstream in non-Olympic years, one of his greatest feats of all.

But Bolt retired in 2017 after a final appearance at the world championships in London, and several other marquee athletes who remain active did not make the trip to Doha.