Amos Bags Diamond League Title
Staff Writer | Monday September 4, 2017 16:06
Amos, who now has three Diamond League titles, followed in the footsteps of Isaac Makwala who won his first gold in Zurich a fortnight ago.
It marked a satisfying end to the season for Amos who had to nurse the heartache of failing to win a medal at the World Championships in London last month.
Amos was back to his best when producing a strong run to win the 800m title in one minute, 44.53 seconds.
The 2012 Olympic silver medallist was off the pace when finishing fifth in the world final but looked powerful after hitting the front 300 metres out on Friday, holding off London silver medallist Adam Kszczot, who was caught on the line for second by fellow Pole Marcin Lewandowski.
“Great comeback season. Third Diamond League (trophy) added to the cabinet,” Amos said after winning the Brussels race.
Friday’s event, the second of two finals after Zurich last week, was a culmination of the first system under the Diamond League’s new format, where athletes gained points for performances through the season to qualify for the final where the winner on the night scooped the US$50,000 prize.
Amos and Makwala have pocketed a combined $100,000 (P1million) making it the richest pay cheque in local sports, achieved just under three minutes on the track.
While the country had expected medals from London last month, it is still a gratifying end to the athletics season.
Athletics has stood head and shoulders above other codes over the years, with dominant performances on the international stage. (Additional reporting by Reuters)