Nijel Amos

One two-lap race stood out over the others this season. The IAAF Diamond League meeting in Monaco produced the five fastest times of the year as winner Nijel Amos clocked a world-leading 1:42.45.

The 20-year-old from Botswana won all the big races of the season, taking victories at the IAAF Diamond League meetings in Eugene and Zurich as well as second-place finishes in Doha and Paris. The Olympic silver medallist won seven of his 10 finals in 2014, including the Commonwealth title in Glasgow and the African title and a win at the Continental Cup, both in Marrakech.

Young Frenchman Pierre-Ambroise Bosse made big progress with a 1:42.53 French record in Monaco for second place. But other than that result, his season was relatively disappointing as he finished only fourth at the European Team Championships and eighth at the European Championships in Zurich.

World champion Mohamed Aman was third in Monaco in a season’s best of 1:42.83. The 20-year-old Ethiopian was clearly the No.2 runner in the event this season. After winning the world indoor title in Sopot, he finished second behind Amos at the African Championships and the Continental Cup in Marrakech and recorded IAAF Diamond League wins in Doha and Rome.

By Mirko jalava, IAAF.org