- He could make history if he wins the final
- P550 000 prize money awaits
BONGANI MALUNGA
Nijel Amos is on the cusp of making history as the most successful Motswana athlete in the IAAF Diamond League and the first male 800m athlete to win a fourth Diamond League trophy. The African 800m champion has confirmed that he will compete in the 800m Diamond League final, which is slated for August 29th in Zurich, Switzerland at the Letzigrund Stadium.
The Botswana athlete is currently the joint most successful Motswana in Diamond League history, he shares the record with Amantle Montsho who also has three Diamond League trophies to her name. In the men’s 800 category, he is the most successful athlete in the 800m category. He has a chance to become the first male middle distance athlete to win four Diamond League trophies.
Amos has shrugged off a minor hamstring injury he suffered in London last month to step up his efforts to be in top shape for the final. Speaking to Gazette Sport, Amos stated that he was glad to be in a position to make not only national history but global history as well.
“My preparation for the final has been going well, ticking off boxes of how everything was planned from the beginning of the year. It is a great pleasure to be in a position where I’m not only fighting to be one of the top athletes but one of the best to have ever blessed our sports codes,” Amos told this publication.
Amos will face the likes of Emmanuel Korir (Diamond League winner 2018), Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich (Diamond League winner 2016), Donavan Brazier, Clayton Murphy, Amel Tuka, Wyclife Kinyamal and Brandon McBride in the final. “It’s a final, anything can happen but I am ready to run whatever type of race that will unfold to emerge as the winner,” Amos concluded.
Winning the Diamond League final is rewarded with money of P550 000, finishing second yields prize money worth P220 000 while the third spot is worth P110 000. Finishing in the top eight still produces reasonable prize money as the last spot is worth over P20 000.