Returning to the site of his world record, recently crowned world champion David Rudisha clocked the fastest 800 meters of the year Saturday at the Rieti Grand Prix. The Kenyan timed 1 minute, 41.33 seconds for the two-lap race, improving on the 1:42.61 he ran at the Diamond League meet in Monaco in July but failing to beat his world mark of 1:41.01 set last year. Rudisha cruised to victory at the worlds in Daegu, South Korea, last month in 1:43.91. Last year's IAAF World Athlete of the Year has always performed well in Rieti, setting a then-African record of 1:42.01 in 2009. Rudisha had two pacesetters and was on pace for another world record until he slowed in the final straight. Still, it was the fifth fastest 800m run of all time. “The first 600 meters I felt very good, then maybe I paid the price for the fast pace during the first half of the race,” Rudisha said, adding that he will race at the Diamond League finals in Brussels Friday and then in Milan two days later. Eight world records have been set at the Raul Guidobaldi Stadium over the years, and while there were none Saturday, there was also a season's best in the 1,500m as Asbel Kiprop, another Kenyan world champion, ran 3:30.46 to shave one hundredth off Silas Kiplagat's time in Monaco. The 1,500m world record of 3:26.00 set by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco in 1998 in Rome still stands. In the sprints, worlds silver medalist Walter Dix won the 100m in 10.02, with Lerone Clarke of Jamaica second in 10.06 and American teammate Justin Gatlin third in 10.08. There was also an American winner in the 200, with Lashawn Merritt clocking 20.13.
