21 May 2019

Nijel Amos is expected to continue his scintillating form when he takes on other 800 metre runners at the IAAF World Challenge in Nanjing, China.

Amos started the season on a high note winning his first Diamond League meeting in Doha with World Lead time of 1:44.29.

Looking at the start list, Amos might have it easy in the track and should he execute his race plan well, he just might improve his time.

He would be up against the likes of Qatari athlete Jamal Hairane, Kenya’s Solomon Lekuta, Alfred Kipketer, Jonathan Kitlit, Cornelius Tuwei and Kiplangat Kipkoech, China will be represented by Junlin Li, Great Britain’s Guy Learmonth,

Brazilian Thiago do Rosário André and Burundian middle-distance runner Antoine Gakeme will finish the lineup.

Track and field analyst, Aobakwe Showa, said with the absence of Amos’ greatest Kenyan rival Emmanuel Korir, he will be a favourite to win the race.

He, however, cautioned that the Marobela-born runner should be wary of other Kenyans, especially Jonathan Kitlit who was fresh from a victory in Seiko World Challenge on Sunday, as well as Cornelius Tuwei who has the second quickest time of 1:45.39 in the field which he recently ran in Doha Diamond League against Amos.

According to Showa, Bram Som is expected to be the pace setter.

He said since Amos relocated to the USA, he had deployed tactics of running behind the pace setter, which worked wonders for him.

Jonathan Kitlit, he said,  preferred to go out strong and lead the field, and Amos was more likely to run behind him and outsprint him on the home straight.

“Most the athletes on this field are yet to break the 46s mark, hence we are likely to see a wide gap between Amos and the rest of the field,” Showa said. BOPA