NAIROBI, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Diamond League champion Emmanuel Korir will face a strong test in his quest to retain the title when he meets up with Africa champion Nigel Amos of Botswana in Rabat, Morocco on June 16.
The two African greats have already clashed in Doha on the opening round of the Diamond League with the Botswanian reigning supreme.
This was a follow-up of their meeting in Asaba, Nigeria where Amos handed Korir a beating in the finals of the Africa Championships.
But Korir now feels he has regained his fitness after a wearing season last year and will be ready to take on Amos and restore his hopes of retaining the Diamond League trophy in Moroccan capital.
"I feel better and stronger. I focus on winning and not who is in the field. I started poorly in Doha because it was the first race in the season, but I have since improved and will be hopeful for win in Morocco," said Korir on Wednesday.
"This year we have the World Championships and it is my prayer to race careful and peak in Doha to be able to win the World Championship gold," he added.
In Morocco, the world's top five athletes in 800m track running, Korir, Amos, Jonathan Kitilit and Ferguson Rotich as well as American Clayton Murphy - the Olympic Games bronze medalist who also won the inaugural edition of the Athletics World Cup and came second at the continental cup in 2018, take on each other in Rabat.
"It is hard to make Kenya team, but my hope is to run at the World Championships. Diamond League meet in Morocco will be a stepping stone and I want to win to boost my ego," said Rotich.
