The Diamond League had a different setup this season. No longer was the athlete who had collected most points declared the winner. Instead the model was much simpler: gather points to qualify for the final, then simply win the final.

Kipyegon Bett and Nijel Amos looked like the favorites, although Adam Kszczot with his sprint finish could not be discounted. The pace was fast - below 50 seconds for the first lap. Amos took the lead, and the Kenyan contingent could only follow. Disappointingly none of them could finish in the top three.

Instead the challenge came from Poland. Kszczot came from behind and came real close - but he was unable to get past Amos. What he didn't see was that his compatriot Marcin Lewandowski was finishing strongly as well. Kszczot looked left, saw no-one coming and eased up. Lewandowski went right and sneaked past on the line, running a seasons best in the process.

But Nijel Amos stayed out of reach. And although his World Championship campaign ended in disappointment this win shows he is still the man to beat.

    Result:
 1  Nijel Amos             BOT  1:44.53 
 2  Marcin Lewandowski     POL  1:44.77 
 3  Adam Kszczot           POL  1:44.84 
 4  Kipyegon Bett          KEN  1:45.21
 5  Ferguson Cheruiyot     KEN  1:45.25 
 6  Alfred Kipketer        KEN  1:46.27 
 7  Elliot Giles           GBR  1:47.03 
 8  Asbel Kiprop           KEN  1:49.85

The 800m has a new World Champion in Pierre-Ambroise Bosse. His story of the season is one of the more unlikely ones for any champion.

His participation wasn't at all sure to begin with. Injuries had meant he had hardly run any races. He had to prove himself in the Monaco race, which he duly did. Although he only finished fifth, his time was good enough. So Bosse at least was allowed to run in London.

His heat didn't present too many problems, but he had a hard time in the semifinal. Two races in two days proved to be tough for someone who hasn't run much. Bosse finished third, where a top two finish was needed. Luckily he did so in the fastest semi, and so he still qualified for the final.

In that final he was anything but favorite. Amos had run well all season. Bett had won that fastest semifinal. Kszczot is renowned for his sprint finish. Bosse had never won a major medal before, his expectations couldn't have been high.

It didn't matter. Halfway through the second lap the Frenchman decided to take the lead and simply run flat out to the finish. Bett, Amos and Aman could only trail in his wake. Kszczot came close, but not close enough. And so Bosse crossed the finish as World Champion. "Me, really?" he seemed to ask himself. Yes, you. An unlikely story indeed.

    Result:
 1. Pierre-Ambroise Bosse  FRA  1:44.67
 2. Adam Kszczot           POL  1:44.95
 3. Kipyegon Bett          KEN  1:45.21
 4. Kyle Langford          GBR  1:45.25
 5. Nijel Amos             BOT  1:45.83
 6. Mohammed Aman          ETH  1:46.06
 7. Thiago Andrè           BRA  1:46.30
 8. Brandon McBride        CAN  1:47.09

Emmanuel Korir has had an incredible year so far. Since former Olympic Champion Paul Ereng got involved with his training the young man's progress has been sensational.

It all started off with winning the indoor NCAA Championships, followed by a World Best at the 600m Indoors. The Outdoor NCAA title in a stunning 1:43.73 followed. A world class 400m in 44.53 indicated his speed. He then won the Kenyan trials, and in Monaco no one came close as he sprinted to yet another PB and new World Leading time. Remarkably Korir now has run 1:43 three times but never a 1:44!

Until this race Nijel Amos looked like the favourite for the 800m World Title, but with Rudisha apparently not in the greatest shape surely Korir will be Kenya's main challenger in London.

    Result:
 1  Emmanuel Korir         KEN   1:43.10
 2  Brandon McBride        CAN   1:44.41
 3  Antoine Gakeme         BDI   1:44.54
 4  Drew Windle            USA   1:44.72
 5  Pierre-Ambroise Bosse  FRA   1:44.72
 6  Amel Tuka              BIH   1:44.94
 7  Erik Sowinski          USA   1:45.12
 8  Samir Dahmani          FRA   1:45.72
 9  Elliot Giles           GBR   1:46.10

The victory of Nijel Amos in Paris could have been a one-off but the race in London definitely proved otherwise. Nijel ran the fastest time of the year so far and finished well ahead of his nearest rivals.

The pace was fast and Amos, Brazier and Kiprop were the only ones who dared to follow the pacemaker, reaching the bell in around 50 seoonds. Once the pacemaker dropped out Amos never gave up the lead, easily withstood a brief challenge from Brazier and ran away on the last stretch to finish with a big lead.

The race also proved a big success for the British athletes. Four of them, Giles, Wightman, Langford and Learmonth all scored PB's.

    Result:
 1  Nijel Amos             BOT   1:43.18
 2  Donavan Brazier        USA   1:43.95
 3  Asbel Kiprop           KEN   1:44.43
 4  Erik Sowinski          USA   1:44.82
 5  Elliot Giles           GBR   1:44.99
 6  Adam Kszczot           POL   1:45.21
 7  Jake Wightman          GBR   1:45.42
 8  Kyle Langford          GBR   1:45.45
 9  Andrew Osagie          GBR   1:45.75
10  Guy Learmonth          GBR   1:45.77
11  Mark English           IRL   1:47.04

The 2016 season was a disappointing one for Nijel Amos. His first major race in 2017 would indicate whether he could reach his splendid level of 2015 again. The competition at the Diamond League meeting in Paris was fierce.

Amos stayed close behind the pacemaker during the first lap, but on the back straight Kipyegon Bett took over the lead. Had Amos started too fast? No! Amos stayed close, attacked and went past the young Kenyan again. With a grimace on his face he managed to stay just ahead of Bett and the fast finishing Cheruiyot.

His time was not exceptionally fast, but at least it was faster than his best mark from 2016. So we may well see a strong season from the young man from Botswana, who is still only 23 ears old.

    Result:
 1  Nijel Amos             BOT   1:44.24
 2  Kipyegon Bett          KEN   1:44.36
 3  Ferguson Cheruiyot     KEN   1:44.37
 4  Robert Biwott          KEN   1:45.05
 5  Amel Tuka              BIH   1:45.40
 6  Job Kinyor             KEN   1:45.50
 7  Pierre-Ambroise Bosse  FRA   1:45.71
 8  Thijmen Kupers         NED   1:46.07
 9  Samir Dahmani          FRA   1:46.76
10  Alfred Kipketer        KEN   1:47.36
11  Willy Tarbei           KEN   1:51.77

Poland appears to have a stranglehold on this title lately. Adam Kszczot won it in 2011 and 2013, Lewandowski in 2015. This year Lewandowski preferred the 1500 (and took gold there) leaving it to Kszczot to defend Polands honour.

The race was fairly slow, with one of the three Spaniards, Kevin López, setting a modest pace. Halfway through Andreas Bube took over the lead, Kszczot immediately followed and from there on no one was going to stop him. Kszczot took over with one lap to go and sprinted to his third title. Bube was rewarded with the silver. Kupers looked on course for the bronze but after a few collisions on the last lap his medal chances were gone and it was Álvaro de Arriba who managed to finish third.

Adam Kszczot has won no less than five European titles now: aside from his three Indoor titles he has also won two Outdoor titles. A very impressive list.

    Result:
 1  Adam Kszczot           POL   1:48.87
 2  Andreas Bube           DEN   1:49.32
 3  Álvaro de Arriba       ESP   1:49.68
 4  Daniel Andújar         ESP   1:50.28
 5  Thijmen Kupers         NED   1:50.47
 6  Kevin López            ESP   1:54.17