OTC Elite’s Amos earns second 800m win of outdoor season

By Curtis Anderson | May 24, 2019

EUGENE, Ore. – Oregon Track Club Elite’s Nijel Amos notched another decisive victory in the 800 meters this season at the IAAF World Challenge in Nanjing, China on May 21.

Similar to his 800m win at the Diamond League meeting in Doha earlier this month, Amos took control down the homestretch as he crossed the finish line with a time of 1:44.38, a mere nine-hundredths of a second (.09) off his world-leading mark of 1:44.29.

“Another strong effort from Nijel,” OTC Elite coach Mark Rowland said. “He looks to be in good form early in the season.”

Amos, of Botswana, is targeting the IAAF World Championships in Doha this year. The meet will be held Sept. 27-Oct. 6. The 2012 Olympic silver medalist owns a personal best of 1:41.73, which makes him the fourth-fastest 800m runner of all-time.

With his victory in Doha this year, Amos now owns 13 Diamond League victories in the 800m, dating back to 2014. He posted his second-fastest time of 1:42.14 in winning Monaco last year.

Hanna Green, a second-year pro out of Virginia Tech, also competed in Nanjing. Facing a world-class field, she placed fourth in the 800m with a time of 2:01.79, just off her season best of 2:01.61 which she set at the Payton Jordan Invitational on May 2.

Green has also competed twice in the 1,500m this season. She set a five-second PR (4:09.33) in winning her heat at the Bryan Clay Invitational in April, and placed sixth at the USATF Distance Classic (4:09.73) at Occidental College in Los Angeles on May 16.

Five other OTC Elite athletes competed at the USATF Distance Classic.

In the men’s 800m, Harun Abda placed seventh overall with a time of 1:47.23, while Drew Piazza clocked a season-best mark of 1:47.74. Neil Gourley, the reigning British indoor 1,500m champion, made his outdoor season debut with a time of 1:48.42. Former UO standout Sabrina Southerland placed sixth in her heat of the women’s 800m with a time of 2:09.86, while Great Britain’s Tom Farrell was fifth in his 1,500m heat at 3:47.31.

Elsewhere, Hassan Mead posted a solid time of 13:23.15 in the 5,000m to place 16th overall at the Diamond League meeting in Shanghai, China on May 18.

Ben Blankenship will make his outdoor season debut on May 25, competing in the 5,000m at the International Flanders meeting in Oordegem, Belgium. Abda will run the 800m at that meet.

Sally Kipyego is entered in the 2019 USATF Women’s 10K Championships in New York City on June 8.​