News12 Apr 2018


Amos and Kszczot set to clash over two laps in Eugene – IAAF Diamond League

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Nijel Amos wins the 800m at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Eugene (© Kirby Lee)

Nijel Amos, holder of the Prefontaine Classic 800m meeting record, will face world indoor champion Adam Kszczot at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Eugene on 25-26 May.

Amos last year won his third IAAF Diamond League trophy – the most by anyone in this event. The 2012 Olympic silver medallist from Botswana set a meeting record of 1:43.63 when winning in Eugene in 2014.

Kszczot capped an undefeated indoor campaign by landing his first senior global title, winning gold at last month’s World Indoor Championships. A three-time European champion indoors, the Pole will be targeting a third outdoor continental crown later this year.

USA’s Donavan Brazier made international headlines in 2016 when he broke a 33-year-old North American U20 indoor record. He won the NCAA title later that year, clocking 1:43.55 to break both the collegiate record and the Hayward Field record.

Last year, at age 20, Brazier won his first US title. He added another domestic title to his collection earlier this year when winning at the US Indoor Championships in 1:45.10, just 0.10 shy of the national indoor record.

Emmanuel Korir’s only race so far this year – a 1:44.21 victory indoors at the Millrose Games – is still the fastest in the world so far in 2018, outdoor included.

Last year the Kenyan set a world indoor 600m best of 1:14.97 600 meters in January. He won NCAA titles indoors and outdoors, triumphed at the Kenyan trials and clocked a world-leading 1:43.10 in Monaco, but a hip flexor injury ended his winning streak during the semifinals at the World Championships in London.

Kipyegon Bett is still only 20 years old but has consistently reached the podium at various championships. He won the African youth title in 2015 and finished second at the World U18 Championships later that year. He then won the world U20 title in 2016 and, while still a junior, took bronze at last year’s World Championships in London. The Kenyan, who has a PB of 1:43.76, will be racing in the US for the first time.

USA’s 2016 world indoor bronze medallist Erik Sowinski and Britain’s Commonwealth silver medallist Kyle Langford are also in the field.

Organisers for the IAAF

2018 IAAF Diamond League calendar
4 May – Doha, QAT
12 May – Shanghai, CHN
26 May – Eugene, USA
31 May – Rome, ITA
7 Jun – Oslo, NOR
10 Jun – Stockholm, SWE
30 Jun – Paris, FRA
5 Jul – Lausanne, SUI
13 Jul – Rabat, MAR
20 Jul – Monaco, MON
21-22 Jul – London, GBR
18 Aug – Birmingham, GBR
30 Aug – Zurich, SUI
31 Aug – Brussels, BEL

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