Nijel Amos

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Nijel Amos
Personal information
Born (1994-03-15) 15 March 1994 (age 30)
Marobela, Botswana
Height1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight65 kg (143 lb)
Sport
CountryBotswana
SportAthletics
Event800 metres
Achievements and titles
Personal bests
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Botswana
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2012 London 800 m
Diamond League
First place
2014
800 m
First place
2015
800 m
First place
2017
800 m
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 2014 Glasgow 800 m
All-Africa Games
Gold medal – first place
2015 Brazzaville
800 m
African Championships
Gold medal – first place 2014 Marrakech 800 m
Gold medal – first place 2014 Marrakech 4x400 m relay
Gold medal – first place 2016 Durban 800 m
Gold medal – first place 2018 Asaba 800 m
Universiade
Gold medal – first place 2013 Kazan 800 m
World Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 2012 Barcelona 800 m
African Junior Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Gaborone 800 m
Commonwealth Youth Games
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Douglas 800 m
Representing Africa
Continental Cup
Gold medal – first place 2014 Marrakech 800 m
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Ostrava 800 m

Nijel Carlos Amilfitano Amos (born 15 March 1994)

2015 All-Africa Games. At the African Championships in Athletics, he took golds in 2014, 2016 and 2018
.

He won the gold medal in his specialist event at the

Diamond League
800 m winner.

On 12 July 2022, Amos was provisionally suspended from competition for testing positive for metabolite

GW1516. On 3 May 2023, it was announced that he had received backdated three-year doping ban which would end on 11 July 2025.[2]

Early life

Nijel Amos hails from Marobela village in the north-eastern part of Botswana. He attended Shangano Community Junior Secondary School (2007 to 2009) in Nshakashongwe and Tutume McConnell Community College (2010 to 2011).[3]

Running career

At the 2011 African Junior Athletics Championships, Amos ran a Botswana junior 800 metres record of 1:47.28. Further improving on his record, Amos finished fifth in the event at the 2011 World Youth Championships in Athletics.[4]

In 2012, Amos improved his national senior record to 1:43.11 during a race in

world junior record behind the new world record set by David Rudisha and was tied with Sebastian Coe for the third fastest individual ever.[6]

After an injury-filled 2013 season, Amos returned to form in 2014. At the

Diamond League meet, he set a meet record and world-leading time of 1:43.63.[7] At the Monaco Diamond League, he again set a meet record and world leading mark of 1:42.45.[8] Beating Rudisha for the second time in the season, his performance was the fastest 800 m race since the 2012 Olympic final. At the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, Amos won the 800 m gold medal in 1:45.18. In the tactical affair, he maneuvered out of a box to pass world record holder David Rudisha in the last 50 metres.[9]

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Amos competed in the 800 m and 4 x 400 m relay. He finished seventh in his heat in his individual event and did not qualify for the semifinals.[10] The Botswana 4 × 400 m relay team finished fifth in the finals.[11] Amos was the flag bearer for Botswana during the Parade of Nations.[12]

He finished fifth in the 800 m at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics in London.[1]

Amos ran a 1:42.14 in the summer of 2018 at the Monaco

Diamond League
meet, taking first place. It was his best race in the 800 m since his silver medal effort in the 2012 Olympics.

At 2019's Monaco

Diamond League
, he ran 1:41.89, hitting 600 m at 1:15.22.

At the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Amos competed in the 800 m event, finishing first in his heat. In the semifinal he collided with Isaiah Jewett, resulting in them both falling to the ground. Jewett helped Amos to his feet in a sportsmanship scene that was later repeated in commercials. The two jogged across the finish line, Amos being granted a place in the final by the referee.[13][14]

2023: Doping ban

On 12 July 2022, Amos was provisionally suspended from competition by the

metabolic modulator that is not approved for use in humans.[15] On 3 May 2023, it was announced that he had received backdated three-year doping ban which would end on 11 July 2025.[2]

Achievements

Amos (L in blue) races the 800 m at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics in London, where he finished fifth.

All information taken from World Athletics profile.[1]

International competitions

Representing  Botswana
Year Competition Venue Position Event Time
2011 African Junior Championships Gaborone, Botswana 3rd 800 m 1:47.38 NJR
World Youth Championships Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France 5th 800 m 1:47.28 PB
2012 African Championships Porto-Novo, Benin – (h) 800 m DNS
– (f) 4 × 400 m relay DQ
World Junior Championships Barcelona, Spain 1st 800 m 1:43.79 CR
Olympic Games London, United Kingdom 2nd 800 m 1:41.73 WJR NR
2013 Universiade Kazan, Russia – (h) 400 m DNF
1st 800 m 1:46.53
2014 Commonwealth Games Glasgow, United Kingdom 1st 800 m 1:45.18
African Championships Marrakesh, Morocco 1st 800 m 1:48.54
1st 4 × 400 m relay 3:01.89 NR
Continental Cup Marrakesh, Morocco 1st 800 m 1:44.88
2015 World Championships Beijing, China 17th (sf) 800 m 1:47.96
9th (h) 4 × 400 m relay 2:59.95 NR
African Games Brazzaville, Congo Republic 1st 800 m 1:50.45
2nd 4 × 400 m relay 3:00.95
2016 African Championships Durban, South Africa 1st 800 m 1:45.11
Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 49th (h) 800 m 1:50.46
2017 World Championships London, United Kingdom 5th 800 m 1:45.83
14th (h) 4 × 400 m relay 3:06.50
2018 Commonwealth Games Gold Coast, Australia 8th 800 m 1:48.45
African Championships Asaba, Nigeria 1st 800 m 1:45.20
– (f) 4 × 400 m relay DNF
Continental Cup Ostrava, Czech Republic 3rd 800 m 1:46.77
2019 World Championships Doha, Qatar – (h) 800 m DNS
2021 Olympic Games Tokyo, Japan 8th 800 m 1:46.41

Circuit wins and titles

  • 2015
  • Diamond League 800 metres champion:
    2017
800 metres wins, other events specified in parentheses

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Nijel AMOS – Athlete Profile". World Athletics. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Nijel Amos: Botswana runner receives three-year doping ban". BBC Sport. 3 May 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  3. ^ Patricia, Edwin (13 August 2012). "The story of Nijel Amos". Mmegi.
  4. ^ "BOPA | 04 July 2011". Archived from the original on 12 July 2011. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  5. ^ "Nijel Amos of Botswana wins silver, Timothy Kitum of Kenya wins bronze in men's 800-meter race – london2012.com". Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  6. ^ "800 Metres – men – senior – outdoor". iaaf.org. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  7. ^ "Surprise, Nijel Amos steals away with the Prefontaine Classic 800 meters". The Oregonian. June 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  8. ^ Mike Rowbottom (18 July 2014). "Kiplagat and Amos are surprise packages in Monaco Diamond League meeting". insidethegames.biz – Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games News. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  9. ^ "David Rudisha is beaten by Nijel Amos in 800m final at Commonwealth Games as Hampden Park witnesses shock". Telegraph.co.uk. 31 July 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  10. ^ "Rio 2016". Rio 2016. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  11. ^ "Rio 2016". Rio 2016. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  12. ^ "The Flagbearers for the Rio 2016 Opening Ceremony". 16 August 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  13. ^ American Isaiah Jewett's act of sportsmanship after being tripped is bigger than a win
  14. ^ "No hard feelings: Amos and Jewett tangle, finish together". Associated Press. 1 August 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  15. ^ "Olympic medallist Nijel Amos suspended for doping". Canadian Running Magazine. 13 July 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2022.

External links

Records
Preceded by
Men's World Junior Record Holder, 800 metres

9 August 2012 – present
Incumbent
Olympic Games
Preceded by Flagbearer for  Botswana
Rio de Janeiro 2016
Succeeded by
Amantle Montsho
Rajab Otukile Mahommed