Kenya's Rudisha breaks world record, again

Kenya’s David Rudisha wins the men’s 800m at the Bislett Games in Oslo on Friday. The African record holder erased Sebastian Coe’s 1:42.33 meet record, set 31 years ago, as the British legend watched from the stands. Photo/ REUTERS
By AFP
Posted Sunday, August 29 2010 at 19:17

Kenyan David Rudisha broke the 800m world record for the second time in a week, setting a new marker of 1min 41.01sec at a meeting in Rieti, Italy on Sunday.

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It was only last Sunday in Berlin that the 21-year-old had set a mark of 1:41.09 to beat Wilson Kipketer's 13-year-old record by two hundreths of a second.

At Rieti last year the 2006 world junior champion set an African record as he exploded onto the scene in senior middle distance running.

Although he only reached the semi-finals at the 2009 World Championships, he continued to improve resulting in his eventually beating the record set by Kipketer.

Having done so, Rudisha had said he could go faster as it was his first attempt to break the record.

He was taken through the bell by compatriot pace-setter Sammy Tangui in 48.20sec before streaking away to win by almost two seconds from another compatriot Boaz Kiplagat Lalang in second.

American Nick Symmonds, third in 1:43.76, and Britain's Michael Rimmer, fourth in 1:43.89, both ran personal bests.

Earlier Jamaican Nesta Carter equalled Tyson Gay's world leading time of 9.78sec over 100m in a thrilling race that also saw two men set national records, five manage personal bests and two others setting season bests.

Carter's run broke his own previous best of 9.85 and came from lane seven.

American Ryan Bailey in second with 9.88 and Jamaican Mario Forsythe, third in 9.95, also ran personal bests.

France's Christophe Lemaitre, the first white sprinter to run under 10sec, equalled his French record in the semi-final and then shaved one hundreth of a second off that in the final, finishing fourth in 9.97.

Norway's Gambia-born sprinter Jaysuma Saidy Ndure also set a national record, finishing seventh in 10.00.