Injured Amos to miss World Championships

THATO KALA
Correspondent | Wednesday July 31, 2013 00:00

 

The 19-year-old, who clocked a phenomenal 1min 41.73 sec over 800 metres at the London Games, suffered an injury blow during a competition in South Africa in April and has withdrawn from the Moscow meet.Amos has a quadriceps strain described as a tear in one of the quadriceps muscles at the front of the thigh.According to Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) vice president, Glody Dube Amos' quad tear is full blown. 'He picked up a knee injury in one of the competitions in South Africa and has not recovered sufficiently to participate at the World Championships,' Dube told Mmegi Sport.Amos was expected to bring gold from the championships with Kenya's David Rudisha who piped him at the Olympics pulling out with a knee injury. 'We are disappointed because he was our hope for a gold medal, especially after Rudisha said he would not run, but unfortunately injury is something beyond his control,' said Dube.

Amos won gold in the 800 metre race at the 27th World University Summer Games in Kazan, Russia, on July 12, raising hopes he would possibly make it at the World Championships. However, Amos revealed he had to turn to Kinesio taping to tranquilise the pain during the race.'When I ran at the university games the injury was there but I had to put a tape (on my thigh),' he said.

Other than Amos, the other Botswana athletes to have qualified for Moscow are defending world 400 metres women's champion, Amantle Montsho, reigning African 400 metre men's champion Isaac Makwala and high jumper, Kabelo Kgosiemang. The 4x4 relay teams for both men and women will also represent the country in Moscow next month. The reigning world junior champion, Amos has thrown his weight behind them ahead of the competition. He said they should not put themselves under pressure because they have what it takes to conquer the world.

'They should just go there and have fun. I believe they can do the nation proud,' Amos said. Meanwhile, Makwala is also nursing what he termed a minor injury. Makwala has since pulled out of tomorrow's (Thursday) meet in Denmark due to the injury. He is, however, confident he would have recovered fully by the time the August 10-18 World Championships kick off in the Russian capital.