Kenya’s David Lekuta Rudisha set a new world record of 1:41.09 in the 800m on Sunday at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium to produce the stand-out performance of the World Challenge meet.
His time shaved two hundredths of a second off the previous best mark set by Denmark’s Kenyan-born Wilson Kipketer in August 1997.
The 21-year-old African record holder and former world junior champion over the same distance in 2006, was led through the first 400m by pacesetter Sammy Tangui in 48.65 seconds.
Rudisha then managed to keep up his pace through to the line to break Kipketer’s long-standing record, something he had recently been threatening to do.
“This was my first real attempt to break the world record, I knew I was good, I had trained hard,” the soft-spoken Kenyan said.
“Now that I have run that time, I can say I have the ability to improve and go faster. I am very happy, it feels great to have the world record,” he said.
Having only reached the 800m semi-finals at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin last August, Rudisha said he came to the German capital with something to prove and wanted to make up for last year’s disappointment.
“Last year, I had a bad time in Berlin,” he said. “So I did not want to talk too much about the world record before the race. I knew it was my day, the weather was good. I told my pacemaker to run the first lap under 49 seconds. He did a great job, but in the last 200m I had to push really hard. But when I saw the clock at the end, it was amazing, a fantastic feeling. I am very happy to be the fastest 800m runner in the world. Running is like a profession to me, so this means everything.”
Rudisha has been in great form all season competing in Europe. In Oslo’s Diamond League meeting in June, he broke Sebastian Coe’s 31-year-old meet record with a run of 1:42.04. Then at a meet in the Belgian city of Heusden-Zolder in July, Rudisha timed 1:41.51, an African record and the fastest time in the world since Kipketer set the previous best 13 years ago.
In the days other events, South Africa’s controversial teenage world champion Caster Semenya won the women’s 800m in 1:59.50, on the same track where she burst onto the world stage last year, as she continues her comeback after being gender tested by the sports governing body.
Local heroine and European bronze medallist Ariane Friedrich won the women’s high jump with a leap of 1.97m, while German world champion Robert Harting won the discus with a throw of 68.24m.
World and Olympic champion Steven Hooker of Australia failed to register a height in the men’s pole vault — for the fourth time this season.
Ethiopia’s Tariku Bekele won the men’s 3000m in a world leading time of 7:28.99 and admitted he had only planned to help Bernard Lagat break the US national record.
There was disappointment for the US’ Lolo Jones in the 100m hurdles as the world indoor champion finished sixth behind winner Priscilla Lopes-Schliep of Canada who ran 12.57 seconds.
Jamaicans dominated the sprints as Nesta Carter won the men’s 100m in 9.96 seconds, while Sherone Simpson won the women’s in 11.09 seconds.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care