19 May 2016

 

Botswana’s elite athletes, Nigel Amos and Isaac Makwala are expected to fly the national flag high this Saturday when the IAAF Diamond League reaches the shores of the African continent for the first time.

The seventh edition of the league is scheduled for Rabat, Morocco where Botswana’s finest runner, Amos will make a come back after he missed the 800 metres season opener in  Shanghai last weekend.

Ferguson Rotich of Kenya easily won the race recording his season best of 1:45.68, while 800 metre world record holder, David Rudisha finished in position five with 1:46.24.

Amos will battle it out with top athletes amongst them, Rotich,  Job Kinyor, Edwin  Melly, Pierre-Ambroise Bosse from France, Mohammed Aman Geleto of Ethiopia, Moroccans Amine El Manaoui and Abdellatif Elguesse, Polish Adam Kszczot and Marcin Lewandowski, Algerian Taoufik Makhloufi  and Bosnian middle-distance runner Amel Tuka.Looking at the starting list, if Amos is in good shape there is no doubt that he will win the race and record a very good time despite the fact that he will be running his first competitive flat race.

Nijel told BOPA that he has been preparing well for the Rabat meeting. 

As part of his preparation, he has participated in the ASA After Dark Series three where he finished in position one clocking 45:73 in a 400 metres race. 

He was also part of the Botswana’s 4x400m men relay team that scooped position one during IAAF Diamond League meeting held in Doha two weeks ago.

Amos further said in all the races that he would compete in, he would strive to do his best adding that he would also take every competition as it comes without any pressure. 

“This year I am not targeting to break any records, but my intention is to run my races, with the help of God and the rest will follow,” he said. 

In the 400 metres, Makwala who finished in position six, recording 45.71 during Doha IAAF diamond league opener, will share the same track with Belgians Jonathan Borlée and Kevin Borlée, Nery  Brenes of Costa Rica, Christopher  Brown of Bahamas, Jamaican Rusheen McDonald, America’s LaShawn Merritt and Rabah Yousif  of Britan.