Nijel Amos

2.1. Early Life and Education

Nijel Amos was born on March 15, 1994, in the village of Marobela, located in the north-eastern part of Botswana. His early education took place at Shangano Community Junior Secondary School, which he attended from 2007 to 2009. Following this, he continued his studies at Tutume McConnell Community College from 2010 to 2011, where he further developed his academic and athletic pursuits.

2.2. Personal Life

Standing at 5.9 ft ^{(1.79 m)} tall and weighing 143 lb ^{(65 kg)}, Nijel Amos has maintained a relatively private personal life. Beyond his athletic career, details about his family or private interests are not extensively publicized.

3.1. Junior Career and Early Achievements

Amos began to make a name for himself in junior athletics. At the 2011 African Junior Athletics Championships held in Gaborone, Botswana, he secured a bronze medal in the 800 metres, setting a new Botswana junior record with a time of 1:47.28. He continued to improve, finishing fifth in the 800 metres at the 2011 World Youth Championships in Athletics. In 2012, he further broke his national senior record, achieving a time of 1:43.11 during a race in Mannheim, Germany. His junior career culminated in a gold medal at the 2012 World Junior Championships in Athletics in Barcelona, Spain, where he set a new championship record of 1:43.79.

3.2. 2012 London Olympics Silver Medal

Amos's most historic achievement came at the 2012 London Olympics. In the men's 800 metres event, he won a silver medal with a remarkable time of 1:41.73. This performance not only secured him the silver medal but also established a new world junior record for the 800 metres. His medal was particularly significant as it was the first-ever Olympic medal for Botswana, marking a monumental moment for the nation in sports. His time also placed him in a tie with Sebastian Coe as the eighth-fastest individual in the history of the event at that time, behind the new world record set by David Rudisha in the same race.

3.3. Major International Competitions

After an injury-affected 2013 season, Amos rebounded strongly in 2014. He won the 800 metres gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, United Kingdom, with a time of 1:45.18. In a tactically challenging race, he skillfully navigated through the field to overtake world record holder David Rudisha in the final 164 ft ^{(50 m)}.

Amos continued his success at the African Championships in Athletics. He won gold medals in the 800 metres in 2014 in Marrakech, Morocco (1:48.54), in 2016 in Durban, South Africa (1:45.11), and in 2018 in Asaba, Nigeria (1:45.20). Additionally, he was part of the gold-winning 4 × 400 metres relay team at the 2014 African Championships, setting a new Botswana national record of 3:01.89.

At the 2015 All-Africa Games in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, Amos claimed another gold medal in the 800 metres (1:50.45) and a silver medal in the 4 × 400 metres relay (3:00.95), which was also a national record for Botswana. He also secured a gold medal in the 800 metres at the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia, with a time of 1:46.53. His success extended to the IAAF Continental Cup, where he won gold in the 800 metres in 2014 in Marrakech (1:44.88) and a bronze in 2018 in Ostrava, Czech Republic (1:46.77).

Amos represented Botswana at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where he served as the flag bearer during the Parade of Nations. He competed in the 800 metres but did not qualify for the semifinals, finishing seventh in his heat. The Botswana 4 × 400 metres relay team, of which he was a part, finished fifth in the finals. He also competed in the 800 metres at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics in London, finishing fifth with a time of 1:45.83. He did not qualify for the 800 metres final at the 2015 World Championships in Athletics in Beijing or the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha.

3.4. Diamond League Success

Nijel Amos has been a dominant force in the Diamond League 800 metres circuit, securing multiple overall titles and individual event wins. He was the overall Diamond League 800 metres winner in 2014 and 2015, and the Diamond League 800 metres champion in 2017.

His individual Diamond League 800 metres wins include:

• 2014:** Three wins: Prefontaine Classic in Eugene (setting a world-leading time and meet record of 1:43.63), Herculis in Monaco (setting another world-leading time and meet record of 1:42.45), and Weltklasse Zürich in Zürich.
• 2015:** Three wins: Birmingham British Grand Prix, Athletissima in Lausanne, and Anniversary Games in London.
• 2016:** One win: Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix in Doha (in the 4 × 400 metres relay).
• 2017:** Five wins: Meeting de Paris in Paris (setting a season best), London, Meeting International Mohammed VI d'Athlétisme de Rabat in Rabat, Birmingham, and Memorial Van Damme in Brussels.
• 2018:** One win: Monaco (setting a world-leading time and meet record of 1:42.14, his best 800 metres race since the 2012 Olympics).
• 2019:** Three wins: Doha (setting a world-leading time), Rabat, and Monaco (setting a world-leading time and meet record of 1:41.89).
• 2021:** One win: Monaco (setting a world-leading time).

3.5. 2020 Tokyo Olympics Sportsmanship

At the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Amos competed in the 800 metres event, winning his heat. In the semifinal, he was involved in a collision with American runner Isaiah Jewett. Both athletes fell to the ground, but in a remarkable display of sportsmanship, Jewett helped Amos to his feet. The two then jogged across the finish line together, a scene that garnered widespread positive attention and was later featured in commercials as an example of athletic camaraderie. Following the incident, the referee granted Amos a place in the final.