OTC Elite's Amos eighth in 800m; Heyward advances in 1,500m

By Curtis Anderson | August 4, 2021

EUGENE, Ore. - Oregon Track Club Elite's Nijel Amos placed eighth overall in the 800 meters with a time of 1:46.41 at the Tokyo Olympics on Aug. 4. 

Amos, who was making his third Olympic appearance for his native Botswana, bided his time near the back of the pack on the first lap before moving up to third place at the bell. With 200m to go, Amos began to fall back, and he was unable to improve his position on the home straight. 

The 27-year-old Amos was fortunate to be in the final. After winning his opening round heat in 1:45.04, he was involved in a collision with American Isaiah Jewett in the 800m semifinals.  

Jewett was in front of Amos near the final turn, and seemingly poised to begin his closing kick, when the back of his heel appeared to hit Amos. Both runners went sprawling to the track. Despite the emotional devastation of the moment, Jewett and Amos helped each other to their feet, put their arms around each other, and crossed the finish line together in an incredible display of sportsmanship. 

"We felt all the emotion when we went down," Amos told The Associated Press. "When we stood up and just tried ... to get home. I thought I was in a good position to take this heat, and I can't put words on it." 

Later in the night, Amos was reinstated into the final on appeal. Jewett did not advance. 

In the men's 1,500m, OTC Elite's Jake Heyward easily advanced to the semifinals with an opening round victory in 3:36.14. Competing for Team Great Britain, the 22-year-old Heyward was the only runner to cover a mid-race move by Australia's Stewart McSweyn, and he powered past McSweyn on the home straight to clinch an automatic berth in the semis. 

"I don't think it could have gone much better," Heyward said in a post-race radio interview. "I'm safely through, that's the main thing, getting through the rounds comfortably, and I felt really good today. Hopefully, that bodes well going into the semis." 

In the men's 10,000m, OTC Elite's Patrick Tiernan, the Australian record-holder in that event, kept pace with the leaders until the final 600 meters. 

He was still in eighth place at the bell lap, but he was running out of steam. With about 200m to go, Tiernan stumbled, and when he entered the home straight, he was clearly in distress, falling to the track for a second time. Somehow, Tiernan managed to get to his feet and finish the race. He placed 19th at 28:35.06. 

"It's the Olympics and I've been waiting for five years for it," said Tiernan, according to media reports. "It was about 180 to go that I collapsed the first time ... I didn't think I was completely done at that point, so I got up. It happened again and I knew I was in trouble. I was so close that you have to will yourself across the line and finish that race. I knew it was something I could do and also needed to do."