OTC Elite’s Osagie set for British Championships

By Curtis Anderson | Jun 28, 2018

EUGENE, Ore. – Oregon Track Club Elite’s Andrew Osagie enters the British Athletics Championships this weekend with the fastest 800-meter time of the season in the United Kingdom. The UK Trials for the European Championships will be held Saturday (June 30) and Sunday (July 1) at Alexander Stadium in Birmingham.

Seven runners from the UK have already run 1:45 this year with the 30-year-old Osagie leading the way at 1:45.09. The last time seven men from the UK ran under 1:46 in a single season was 1992.

Osagie, a finalist at the 2012 London Olympics, is seeking a spot on the UK roster for the 2018 European Championships, Aug. 7-12, in Berlin. Qualifying heats will be held Saturday, followed by Sunday’s final. After posting his season best at the FBK Games in The Netherlands on June 3 – his fastest time in five years – Osagie clocked 1:45.79 to place second in the 800m in Marseille, France on June 16.

“He’s going into the UK Trials healthy and confident,” Oregon Track Club Elite Coach Mark Rowland said.

Osagie’s performance at the British Championships will determine his race options moving forward. He is already entered in the 400m in Lignano, Italy, on July 11 and the 800m at the London Diamond League meeting on July 22.

Here’s a quick update on the rest of the OTC Elite crew:

- Francine Niyonsaba, the reigning two-time World Indoor champion and 2016 Olympic silver medalist, is scheduled to compete in the Paris Diamond League meeting on Saturday (June 30). It will be the third Diamond League race of the season for the native of Burundi.

- Nijel Amos, of Botswana, has entered two races in preparation for the 800m at the London Diamond League meeting on July 22. The 2012 Olympic silver medalist will compete in the 800m on July 2 in Budapest and the 400m on July 11 in Lignano.

- Harun Abda is expected to compete in the 800m on July 5 in Spain, followed by the 800m on July 11 in Lignano.

- Olympian Ben Blankenship will return to the downtown streets of Pittsburgh on July 20 to defend his title in the Liberty Mile. Blankenship is the reigning two-time champion in the race.

- Olympian Hassan Mead has been confirmed for the 5,000m at the London Diamond League meeting on July 22. Mead is coming off a third-place finish in the 5,000m at the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

- After clocking back-to-back 800m PRs at USAs, Hanna Green will get her first taste of international competition. Her expected European debut will be an 800m in Lucerne, Switzerland on July 9 or the 600m in Barcelona on July 11.