29 Jun 2017

After a sloppy start in his first Diamond League meeting in Rome, Botswana’s 800 metres specialist, Nijel Amos has vowed to make a comeback in the Paris Diamond League meeting on July 1.

Amos finished 11th after he stumbled and it was his first time to finish in an embarrassing position.

However, Amos improved during the Pravda-Televízia-Slovnaft meeting in Slovakia on June 17, beating the likes of Amel Tuka, Mohamed Aman and Antoine Gakeme to claim posion one with a time of 1:45:74 which was his season best.

If his good performance at the Slovakia race is anything to go by, then his competitors should brace themselves for tough competition at the Stade Charlety.

The entry list is made up of Kenyans Kipyegon Bett, Robert Biwott, Alfred Kipketer, Ferguson Rotich and Willy Tarbei while Bosnia/Herzegovina will be represented by Amel Tuka.

From France there is Pierre-Ambroise Bosse and Samir Dahmani. Dutch middle-distance runner, Thijmen Kupers and Polish runner Marcin Lewandowski.

Amos said in an interview that his main focus was on the world championships to be staged in London in August, adding that he was confident that in August he would be at his peak.

“All this past years I have been doing well on the circuit, and in 2015 I had fastest time in the world but didn’t do well at the Beijing World Champs because I picked early.

He said in 2016 injuries hampered his training and that he wants to approach this year’s world championships differently.

This season, he said, he had not been active on track as he could have at least competed in six events so far.

He noted that he had only participated in three races amongst them the Gaborone International Meeting where he registered  a time of 1:47:72, the Rome Diamond League where he did not do well as well as the Slovakia meeting where he won.

Amos, who is under the tutelage of a new coach based in the United States, said they were taking things step by step and were aiming for another season best in Paris.

Athletics analyst, Billy Tambula said it was imperative for Amos to perfect his approach, adding that whatever happened in the last race taught him a good lesson.

“Knowing him, he is capable of redeeming his pride. The last three races are very important before the major competitions because the races will help him to conclude his preparations for the world champs,” he said. ENDS