It was widely believed that beating David Rudisha would be a tall order for Botswana’s 800 meter sensation, Nijel Amos. The Kenyan athlete was regarded as one of the greatest in his race category and he had shown no intention of relinquishing his dominance in the 800m prior to 2014.
After an injury layoff, Amos was forced to watch from the sidelines as Rudisha and Mohammed Aman of Ethiopia, dominated the 800m category. But he staged his comeback this year, cementing his place as the highest ranked 800m athlete in the world. There is no doubt that Amos’ performance has earned him a place as one of the greatest 800m athletes. Below, Gazette Sport reporter Bongani Malunga lists ten reasons why Amos will dominate the 800m race for decades to come…
Age is on his side
At only 20 years old, Amos has proven beyond doubt that he is the best 800m athlete in the world. He still a young man and he has not yet reached his peak. This means that he is surely saving his best form for the latter years of his career. Amos’ main rival Rudisha is 26 years old and at the peak of his prowess. The Kenyan is already showing signs of surrendering his place among the best runners in the 800m races. While Rudisha has reached his peak, Amos still has room for improvement. That fact alone will give Rudisha sleepless nights.
His ‘psychological advantage’ over Rudisha
It is worth noting that Amos and Rudisha have faced off in four races this year and Nijel has won all of them, beating his arch rival hands down. The Marobela native has now gained a ‘psychological advantage’ over the Kenyan. Rudisha has won only three races this year and none of them featured Amos.
Statistics don’t lie
Amos has won six of his 10 races this year. The wins, plus his numerous second place records, helped him earn his place as the best in Africa and the world. He is currently the African, Commonwealth and Junior champion in the 800m division. He is arguably ‘the man to beat’ for next year’s events and his gradual rise to the top has yielded four gold medals this year. His medal haul represents his best ever collective year since he began his senior career in 2012. His statistics in 2014 have proved that he is in a class of his own and could dominate the athletics world for many years.