Nijel Amos

Nijel Carlos Amilfitano Amos (born 15 March 1994) 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 800m; his mark is also the world U20 record. He is a three-time Diamond League 800m 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.

Running career 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.

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 800m event, the first Olympic medal for his country. His time of 1:41.73 established a new world junior record behind the new world record set by David Rudisha, and is currently tied with Sebastian Coe as the eighth fastest individual in the history of the event.

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. At the Monaco Diamond League, he again set a meet record and world leading mark of 1:42.45. Beating Rudisha for the second time in the season, his performance was the fastest 800m race since the 2012 Olympic final. At the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, Amos won the 800m gold medal in 1:45.18. In the tactical affair, he manoeuvred out of a box to pass world record holder David Rudisha in the last 50 metres.

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Amos competed in the 800m and relay. He finished seventh in his heat in his individual event and did not qualify for the semi-finals. The Botswana 4 × 400m relay team finished fifth in the finals. Amos was the flag bearer for Botswana during the Parade of Nations.

He finished fifth in the 800m at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics in London.

2023: Doping Suspension 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. On 3 May 2023, it was announced that he had received backdated three-year doping ban which would end on 11 July 2025.

Achievements Amos (L in blue) races the 800 m at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics in London, where he finished fifth.

All information taken from World Athletics profile.

International competitions

Circuit wins and titles

800 metres wins, other events specified in parentheses 2014 (3): Eugene Prefontaine Classic , Monaco Herculis (WL MR), Zürich Weltklasse 2015 (3): Birmingham British Grand Prix, Lausanne Athletissima, London Anniversary Games 2016 (1): Doha Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix (4 × 400 m relay) 2017 (5): Paris Meeting , London (WL), Rabat Meeting International, Birmingham, Brussels Memorial Van Damme 2018 (1): Monaco (WL MR) 2019 (3): Doha (WL), Rabat, Monaco (WL MR) 2021 (1): Monaco (WL)