5. Nijel Amos
For all his prowess and achievements in the last five years, it is almost a travesty that Nijel Amos is yet to win a medal at the World Championships.
For someone who was an 800m World Junior champion in 2012, going on to win Silver at the 2012 London Olympics with a Personal Best (PB) of 1:41.73, behind David Rudisha who produced a World Record (WR) performance of 1:40.91 to win GOLD, Amos has come a long way and has etched his name in this event.
However, the absence of a World Championship medal has almost blurred all his other achievements, including his status as African and Commonwealth Games champion.
Although Amos would want to forget the past two years after not making the final at the 2015 World Champs and then the Rio 2016 Olympics, he seems to be getting back to form as he gets set to compete in London.
Amos is currently ranked No.2 with a Season’s Best (SB) of 1:43.18, a time he ran this year during the London Diamond League just some weeks back. If you also factor in that he won an Olympic Silver five years ago, also at the same London stadium, it is safe to conclude that he just may have found a favourite hunting ground.
With the latest withdrawal of Rudisha because of a muscle injury, Amos has become the overwhelming favourite to win GOLD now that his biggest rival has been sidelined.
Although world leader, Emmanuel Korir with a PB of 1:43.10 might be out to spoil the show, Amos should have more experience than the Kenyan prodigy who is having his breakout year.
If he makes it to the final, which we expect he should, Amos will no doubt add a World Champs medal to his impressive haul, the only competition he does not have a gong to show for.
