01 May 2017

Botswana 800 metres runner Nijel Amos gave Batswana a befitting farewell after scooping a gold medal at the Gaborone International Meet on Saturday April 29.

Amos who will be relocating to USA this week to join Oregon track club to work with Coach Mark Rowland, clocked 1:47.72 to scope a gold medal, followed by  Shepherd Kenatshele with 1:48.57, South African Derison Siyabonga won a bronze medal after recording 1:48.83.

Since turning into a professional athlete, Amos has never competed in the 800m event on home soil, and on Saturday during the race  he looked a bit rusty, probably because the last time he competed was last year at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

He approached the race with a different plan of leading the pack from the start to the finish. Amos is well known for remaining at the back and attacking in the last 100 metres, but in this case, he started the race on a high tempo and crossed the 400 m mark with a convincing time.

He however said in an interview that the race was good although he had anticipated to record a good time.

“I knew I could do at least 1:44 or 1:45, but the weather affected us. Today my race strategy was to have good time so I sacrificed myself to be the pace setter, hence I led the race throughout, “he said.

He said his intention was also to break the stadium record on home soil, adding that his focus  this season is also to win gold at the World Championships.

Furthermore, Nijel said his intention was to use the strategy once again in the Diamond League meetings to see how best he can perform this season.

Another scintillating event was the 400 metres women event which pitted Africa’s finest amongst them Amantle Montsho, Lydia Jele and Zambian Kabange Mupopo.

But at the end of the race it was Jele who arrived at the finish line first with 51.65, followed by Montsho with 51.88 on the third place was Mupopo with 52.36.

The much awaited 100 metres men which pitted Africa’s finest did not disappoint as audience were left asking for more.

Although the Zambian Sidney Siame was the favourite in the race given that he is currently holding a World lead of 9.88, that was not to be as he was relegated to position two by Lesotho’s sprinter Mosito

Lehata who clocked 10.20, while Sidney had recorded 10.47, on position three was Zambian Hazemba Chindamba with 10.54.

Lehata said they could have recorded good times, but they were made to wait for a long time after warm-up.

“Sidney is young I have been in this game before, I just told myself that I am going to give him a hard time,“ he said.

However, Sidney said in an interview that he was not shocked that he was relegated to position two as it was the nature of the game.

“That is how it is in athletics, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, look I have already qualified for the Championships I came here to prepare and I will not lose focus,“ he said. ENDS