Advantage Amos as Rudisha pulls out
Kabelo Boranabi | Wednesday August 2, 2017 16:17
The Kenyan, who poised a great threat to Nijel Amos, announced through his official Twitter page on Monday evening that he will miss the event, which runs from August 4 until 13 due to a quad muscle strain.
“It’s sad and disappointing to announce my no show for the forthcoming London 2017 WC (World Championships) due to a quad muscle strain,” Rudisha’s tweet reads. The 28-year remains the only athlete to ever run under one minute 41 seconds for the event when he ran a world record of 1:40:91 with Amos finishing second in 1:41:73 five years ago. He won gold in London at the 2012 Olympics and again in Rio Olympic games last year.
Despite being ranked only 19th in the world this year, Rudisha would have been bidding for a third successive gold medal at the World Championships. The two-lap runner stood between the nation and its first Olympic gold medal when he finished ahead of Amos in 2012.
Amos would breath a sigh of relief as he returns to the venue where he won the country’s first ever Olympic medal with Rudisha sidelined for the competition. The 23-year-old would battle it out with Kenyan emerging star, Emmanuel Korir who has been in sterling form this year.
He ran a personal best of 1:43:73 in April this year, making him the youngest athlete to clock a sub 1:44 at 21 years. Amos has also been sending messages ahead of the London meet since recovering from an injury that kept him out for most part of the last season.
The Marobela-born runner produced another sterling performance at the London Olympic Stadium as he clocked a world leading time of 1:43:18 in the Diamond League early in July before running 1:44:24 at the Monaco race in France a fortnight ago.
Botswana has lined-up a strong team for the competition. It includes former African champion, Isaac Makwala (400m), the exciting youthful duo of Baboloki Thebe (400m) and Karabo Sibanda (400m) and former world champion, Amantle Montsho who will be competing on the biggest stage since returning from a two-year suspension.
The team will, however, miss 800m runner, Boitumelo Masilo who is nursing an injury. The local team has been training in London for more than a month ahead of the races.