Nijel Amos of Botswana (L) David Rudisha of Kenya (M) and Mohamed Aman of Ethiopia (R)
It was just a few years ago when the only serious challenger to David Rudisha’s dominance of the two lap race (800 meters) was Abubaker Kaki of the Sudan but that now seems like eons ago, as new and formidable challengers have risen on the African continent to contend his dominance of the event.
It is a week to the 2015 edition of the IAAF World Athletics Championships which will be held at the birds nest Stadium in Beijing China, which was host to one of the greatest Summer Olympic Games held in modern times.
It was just a few years ago when the only serious challenger to David Rudisha’s dominance of the two lap race (800 meters) was Abubaker Kaki of the Sudan but that now seems like eons ago, as new and formidable challengers have risen on the African continent to contend his dominance of the event.
It is a week to the 2015 edition of the IAAF World Athletics Championships which will be held at the birds nest Stadium in Beijing China, which was host to one of the greatest Summer Olympic Games held in modern times.
In recent years due to Rudisha’s World record breaking performance back in 2012 and the challenge from his new rivals not only from Africa but around the world, the 800 meters has become one of the marquee races to watch in Track & Field. It will certainly be one of the races that Fans around the world will be watching out for in Beijing, besides the obvious 100 meters Men and women’s races (the now defacto blue ribbon events of not only these championships but the Summer Olympic Games as well).
The Duel:
David Rudisha who missed out on the last IAAF World Athletics Championships in Moscow Russia (2013) will be facing his nemesis Nijel Amos of Botswana and Mohamed Aman of Ethiopia in a head to head battle in Beijing and barring any incidents or mishaps will have a chance to demolish his opponents and take gold and at the same time send a loud and clear message; that come Rio 2016 he will be the man to beat. But Aman of Ethiopia who won the 2013 World Championships Gold will have a lot to say about the outcome of that race and so will Amos of Botswana; the world junior record holder and second fastest 800 meters runner of all time.
Mohamed Aman: (Personal Best 1:42.37 ) who was the winner of the last IAAF World Athletics Championships in Russia (2013) has not been in great form lately as he has struggled mightily this 2015 season and in fact finished behind Rudisha the last time they went head to head. Even though he possesses the ability to beat Rudisha he will likely not be able to do so this time around and will very likely finished in the top five and possibly out of the medals in Beijing.
Nijel Amos: (Personal Best 1:41.73) was runner up to Rudisha in London at the 2012 London Olympics to take silver and at the very young age of 18 set the world Junior record running the second fastest time ever in the event and so now at 21 being the youngest amongst the three, Amos has the best upside of the three heading into the showdown in Beijing. Even though he was plagued with injuries like Rudisha following London, Amos has come back strong and has topped Rudisha and Aman several times this year (2015) and looks to continue his dominance in Beijing. Amos is my pick to win the Gold in Beijing. He will be a super formidable foe to all comers at this event including Rudisha the world record holder because of his youth, enthusiasm and sheer grit that he exhibits in his races. He simply is hard to beat when he is in form and focused.
David Rudisha: still the world record holder in the 800 meters at 1:40.91 was hit with the injury bug since his world dominating performance in 2012 and has been struggling mightily since then. Only 26 years old he is yet to hit his prime and will be looking for redemption and a glimmer of hope to regain the dominance he once exhibited a few years back when he broke the record. Rudisha is looking to not only take Gold in Beijing but repeat his Gold medal and world record breaking performance at the next Olympic Games in Rio Brazil to regain his dominance and continue his reign as the king of the two lap race. Despite all these odds stacked against him David is still the man to beat but he will have to overcome the sheer grit and mental toughness of his African rivals Nijel Amos and Mohamed Aman. I project Rudisha to finish second and settle for Silver behind Botswana’s Amos.
Good luck to all these three phenomenal athletes in Beijing as they go for Gold and may the best man win!
The Duel:
David Rudisha who missed out on the last IAAF World Athletics Championships in Moscow Russia (2013) will be facing his nemesis Nijel Amos of Botswana and Mohamed Aman of Ethiopia in a head to head battle in Beijing and barring any incidents or mishaps will have a chance to demolish his opponents and take gold and at the same time send a loud and clear message; that come Rio 2016 he will be the man to beat. But Aman of Ethiopia who won the 2013 World Championships Gold will have a lot to say about the outcome of that race and so will Amos of Botswana; the world junior record holder and second fastest 800 meters runner of all time.
Mohamed Aman: (Personal Best 1:42.37 ) who was the winner of the last IAAF World Athletics Championships in Russia (2013) has not been in great form lately as he has struggled mightily this 2015 season and in fact finished behind Rudisha the last time they went head to head. Even though he possesses the ability to beat Rudisha he will likely not be able to do so this time around and will very likely finished in the top five and possibly out of the medals in Beijing.
Nijel Amos: (Personal Best 1:41.73) was runner up to Rudisha in London at the 2012 London Olympics to take silver and at the very young age of 18 set the world Junior record running the second fastest time ever in the event and so now at 21 being the youngest amongst the three, Amos has the best upside of the three heading into the showdown in Beijing. Even though he was plagued with injuries like Rudisha following London, Amos has come back strong and has topped Rudisha and Aman several times this year (2015) and looks to continue his dominance in Beijing. Amos is my pick to win the Gold in Beijing. He will be a super formidable foe to all comers at this event including Rudisha the world record holder because of his youth, enthusiasm and sheer grit that he exhibits in his races. He simply is hard to beat when he is in form and focused.
David Rudisha: still the world record holder in the 800 meters at 1:40.91 was hit with the injury bug since his world dominating performance in 2012 and has been struggling mightily since then. Only 26 years old he is yet to hit his prime and will be looking for redemption and a glimmer of hope to regain the dominance he once exhibited a few years back when he broke the record. Rudisha is looking to not only take Gold in Beijing but repeat his Gold medal and world record breaking performance at the next Olympic Games in Rio Brazil to regain his dominance and continue his reign as the king of the two lap race. Despite all these odds stacked against him David is still the man to beat but he will have to overcome the sheer grit and mental toughness of his African rivals Nijel Amos and Mohamed Aman. I project Rudisha to finish second and settle for Silver behind Botswana’s Amos.
Good luck to all these three phenomenal athletes in Beijing as they go for Gold and may the best man win!
By: Leslie Koroma
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