| Nijel Amos | |
| Birth Date: | 1994 3, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Marobela, Botswana |
| Height: | 1.79 m |
| Weight: | 65 kg |
| Country: | Botswana |
| Sport: | Athletics |
| Event: | 800 metres |
Nijel Carlos Amilfitano Amos (born 15 March 1994)[1] is a Botswana middle-distance runner who competes in the 800 metres. He won the silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics, which was Botswana's first-ever Olympic medal. Amos claimed gold medals at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and 2015 All-Africa Games. At the African Championships in Athletics, he took golds in 2014, 2016 and 2018.
He won the gold medal in his specialist event at the 2012 World Under-20 Championships. Amos is the Botswana record holder for the 800 m, his mark is also the world U20 record. He is a three-time Diamond League 800 m winner.
On 12 July 2022, Amos was provisionally suspended from competition for testing positive for metabolite GW1516. On 3 May 2023, it was announced that he had received a backdated three-year doping ban, which would end on 11 July 2025.
Nijel Amos hails from Marobela village in the north-eastern part of Botswana. He attended Shangano Community Junior Secondary School (2007 to 2009) in Nshakashongwe and Tutume McConnell Community College (2010 to 2011).[2]
At the 2011 African Junior Athletics Championships, Amos ran a Botswana junior 800 metres record of 1:47.28. Further improving on his record, Amos finished fifth in the event at the 2011 World Youth Championships in Athletics.[3]
In 2012, Amos improved his national senior record to 1:43.11 during a race in Mannheim. He became champion at the 2012 World Junior Championships in Athletics, finishing in a new championship record of 1:43.79. At the 2012 London Olympics, Amos won a silver medal in the men's 800 m event, the first Olympic medal for his country.[4] His time of 1:41.73 established a new world junior record behind the new world record set by David Rudisha and was tied with Sebastian Coe for the third fastest individual ever.[5]
After an injury-filled 2013 season, Amos returned to form in 2014. At the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League meet, he set a meet record and world-leading time of 1:43.63.[6] At the Monaco Diamond League, he again set a meet record and world leading mark of 1:42.45.[7] Beating Rudisha for the second time in the season, his performance was the fastest 800 m race since the 2012 Olympic final. At the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, Amos won the 800 m gold medal in 1:45.18. In the tactical affair, he maneuvered out of a box to pass world record holder David Rudisha in the last 50 metres.[8]
At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Amos competed in the 800 m and 4 x 400 m relay. He finished seventh in his heat in his individual event and did not qualify for the semifinals.[9] The Botswana 4 × 400 m relay team finished fifth in the finals.[10] Amos was the flag bearer for Botswana during the Parade of Nations.[11]
He finished fifth in the 800 m at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics in London.
Amos ran a 1:42.14 in the summer of 2018 at the Monaco Diamond League meet, taking first place. It was his best race in the 800 m since his silver medal effort in the 2012 Olympics.
At 2019's Monaco Diamond League, he ran 1:41.89, hitting 600 m at 1:15.22.
At the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Amos competed in the 800 m event, finishing first in his heat. In the semifinal, he collided with Isaiah Jewett, resulting in them both falling to the ground. Jewett helped Amos to his feet in a sportsmanship scene that was later repeated in commercials. The two jogged across the finish line, Amos being granted a place in the final by the referee.[12] [13]
On 12 July 2022, Amos was provisionally suspended from competition by the Athletics Integrity Unit after he tested positive for GW1516, a banned hormone and metabolic modulator that is not approved for use in humans.[14] On 3 May 2023, it was announced that he had received backdated three-year doping ban which would end on 11 July 2025.[15]
All information taken from World Athletics profile.
| 2011 | African Junior Championships | Gaborone, Botswana | 3rd | 800 m | 1:47.38 | |
| World Youth Championships | Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France | 5th | 800 m | 1:47.28 | ||
| 2012 | African Championships | Porto-Novo, Benin | – (h) | 800 m | ||
| bgcolor=pink | – (f) | 4 × 400 m relay | ||||
| World Junior Championships | Barcelona, Spain | bgcolor=gold | 1st | 800 m | 1:43.79 | |
| Olympic Games | London, United Kingdom | bgcolor=silver | 2nd | 800 m | 1:41.73 | |
| 2013 | Universiade | Kazan, Russia | – (h) | 400 m | ||
| bgcolor=gold | 1st | 800 m | 1:46.53 | |||
| 2014 | Commonwealth Games | Glasgow, United Kingdom | bgcolor=gold | 1st | 800 m | 1:45.18 |
| African Championships | Marrakesh, Morocco | bgcolor=gold | 1st | 800 m | 1:48.54 | |
| bgcolor=gold | 1st | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:01.89 | |||
| Continental Cup | Marrakesh, Morocco | bgcolor=gold | 1st | 800 m | 1:44.88 | |
| 2015 | World Championships | Beijing, China | 17th (sf) | 800 m | 1:47.96 | |
| 9th (h) | 4 × 400 m relay | 2:59.95 | ||||
| African Games | Brazzaville, Congo Republic | bgcolor=gold | 1st | 800 m | 1:50.45 | |
| bgcolor=silver | 2nd | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:00.95 | |||
| 2016 | African Championships | Durban, South Africa | bgcolor=gold | 1st | 800 m | 1:45.11 |
| Olympic Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 49th (h) | 800 m | 1:50.46 | ||
| 2017 | World Championships | London, United Kingdom | 5th | 800 m | 1:45.83 | |
| 14th (h) | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:06.50 | ||||
| 2018 | Commonwealth Games | Gold Coast, Australia | 8th | 800 m | 1:48.45 | |
| African Championships | Asaba, Nigeria | bgcolor=gold | 1st | 800 m | 1:45.20 | |
| – (f) | 4 × 400 m relay | |||||
| Continental Cup | Ostrava, Czech Republic | 3rd | 800 m | 1:46.77 | ||
| 2019 | World Championships | Doha, Qatar | – (h) | 800 m | ||
| 2021 | Olympic Games | Tokyo, Japan | 8th | 800 m | 1:46.41 |
800 metres wins, other events specified in parentheses