Nijel Amos finished behind a world-record pace to get silver, the first for Botswana -- ever. (US Presswire) |
Kenya's David Rudisha received a lot of rightful pub for what he did Thursday. The Kenyan runner set a world record in the 800 meters, running it in a blazing 1:40.91 seconds, the first time ever recorded under 1:41.
He beat out Botswana's Nijel Amos, who finished in 1:41.73 and earned a silver. And therein lies the other significant event in the 800. Amos earned his country's first medal -- ever. Botswana has competed in nine Summer Games, every one since 1980, but never had a rep stand on the spotlighted dais until Thursday.
That's when Amos stood on the second-highest podium stoop and made his country proud. It had to have been a huge day in Botswana, which is one of five countries that will leave London as first-time medal winners. Below, the list, and if you want the overall medal total, including all golds, silvers and bronzes, you know where to look.
"To win a medal will mean everything to the people back home, it is an amazing success, we only have 600,000 people in our country," coach Dragan Adzic has said. "To be the first medal winners in the Olympics is historic, it's amazing."
And if you're curious about which countries are still o-fer, all-time, here you go. Alas, it's a bulky list. Via Wikipedia (totally verified!), with Summer Games in gold, winter in blue, total in white.
6 | 2 | 8 | |
6 | 1 | 7 | |
9 | 10 | 19 | |
7 | 0 | 7 | |
8 | 0 | 8 | |
6 | 0 | 6 | |
7 | 0 | 7 | |
7 | 0 | 7 | |
10 | 0 | 10 | |
9 | 0 | 9 | |
7 | 0 | 7 | |
12 | 5 | 17 | |
5 | 5 | 10 | |
7 | 0 | 7 | |
5 | 0 | 5 | |
7 | 0 | 7 | |
7 | 0 | 7 | |
4 | 0 | 4 | |
8 | 1 | 9 | |
8 | 0 | 8 | |
10 | 0 | 10 | |
4 | 0 | 4 | |
10 | 0 | 10 | |
8 | 0 | 8 | |
6 | 0 | 6 | |
4 | 0 | 4 | |
9 | 0 | 9 | |
7 | 0 | 7 | |
12 | 3 | 15 | |
8 | 0 | 8 | |
7 | 0 | 7 | |
6 | 1 | 7 | |
9 | 0 | 9 | |
4 | 0 | 4 | |
9 | 1 | 10 | |
8 | 0 | 8 | |
2 | 0 | 2 | |
7 | 0 | 7 | |
9 | 0 | 9 | |
11 | 0 | 11 | |
9 | 0 | 9 | |
10 | 1 | 11 | |
8 | 0 | 8 | |
6 | 0 | 6 | |
11 | 0 | 11 | |
14 | 0 | 14 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | |
7 | 0 | 7 | |
3 | 0 | 3 | |
20 | 8 | 28 | |
1 | 1 | 2 | |
15 | 0 | 15 | |
4 | 0 | 4 | |
11 | 3 | 14 | |
10 | 0 | 10 | |
7 | 0 | 7 | |
3 | 0 | 3 | |
4 | 0 | 4 | |
8 | 0 | 8 | |
7 | 0 | 7 | |
4 | 0 | 4 | |
4 | 0 | 4 | |
6 | 0 | 6 | |
7 | 0 | 7 | |
12 | 8 | 20 | |
4 | 0 | 4 | |
7 | 0 | 7 | |
9 | 0 | 9 | |
7 | 0 | 7 | |
7 | 0 | 7 | |
8 | 1 | 9 | |
3 | 0 | 3 | |
4 | 0 | 4 | |
1 | 0 | 1 | |
6 | 0 | 6 | |
7 | 0 | 7 |