05 Jun 2019

All eyes will be set on the television screens when the 800 metres runner, Nijel Amos, takes to the track in a Diamond league race in Rome, Italy on June 6.

Amos’ second Diamond League race this season is scheduled for 8:23p.m.

The line up is expected to include Americans: Harun Abda, Layton Murphy and Donavan Brazier, Qatari: Abubaker Haydar Abdalla, Kenyan’s Kinyamal Wycliffe, Jonathan Kitilit and Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich.

There is also Swedish middle-distance runner, Andreas Kramer, Polish runners Adam Kszczot and Marcin Lewandowski, while Canada will be represented by Brandon McBride

Amos said his goal was to collect points that would enable him to compete at the Diamond League finals.

He said he enjoyed competing at the Stadio Olympico Roma where he did well in the past.

Last year, he did not take part in the Rome Diamond League due to an injury.

“I am happy to be going back there, because I always had a good performance there in past years. But now the aim is to get points and make it to final,” he said.

Track and field analyst, Aobakwe Showa, said unlike in his previous race in Naijing, Amos will face a star-studded field comprising other subs 1:45 men this season being, Kitilit, Donovan, Abdalla and Haydar.

Amons opened his account in Doha in May, dropping a World Lead of 1:44.29 and thereafter he competed at the Nanjing IAAF World Challenge where he clocked 1.44.38.

He said although Kenyan Rotich Cheruiyot had a low Season Best time, he was one athletes who had proven over the years that on his good day he could be hard to beat and Amos should be wary of the Kenyan prowess.

He said the race was more likely to be tactical because the field consisted of two different badges of athletes.

“There are front runners in one category, who prefer to go out strong in the first lap and dictate the pace of the race such as  McBride, Kitilit and Rotich. Amos can use them as pace judgement waiting for his last kick which has now become his trademark finish,” he said.

He said Kszcot and American duo of Murphy and Donovan were more of fast finishers and normally pose a threat if the field could be slow.

“This should not be a problem for Amos as he has both the endurance to keep up with the front runners and the speed to produce that last kick and accelerate in the home straight in case of a slow race,” he said

Showa said the presence of Harun would be an immense advantage for Amos as the two were training partners in Oregon club and he was the pacesetter in Monaco last year when Amos blasted the field in 1:42.14 which stand as the 6th fastest time in history.

“One can only hope the two once again have a good race plan enough to produce yet another  World Leading time for the Marobela born athlete,” he said. ENDS