RUDISHA GETS WORLD RECORD!!!!!
1:40.91!!!!!


King Rudisha delivered tonight as the 800 meter world leader broke the world record in an exciting men's 800 meter final for the record books! He took the lead from the gun taking the field out in a 24.6 for 200 meters and a 49.28 for 400 meters! Youngsters Aman and Kaki tried to hang with him but no one could match Rudisha in this race. He came through a roaring homestretch in an astonishing 1:40.91 for gold!

It was a personal best performance for both Americans Duane Solomon who came in a close 4th and Nick Symmonds who followed him in 5th place. Solomon came in in 1:42.82 and Symmonds came through the line in 1:42.95!

Rudisha Quotes:

On breaking the world record in one minute, 40.91 seconds:

"I am very happy. I've waited for this moment for a very long time. To come here and get a world record is unbelievable. I had no doubt about winning. Today the weather was beautiful - I decided to go for it (the world record)."

On winning for his friend, Sebastian Coe (chaiman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games):
"Lord Coe is a good friend of mine. I came here in February and he took me around the (Olympic) Stadium. I wanted to come here and make him proud."

Lord Coe



Coe Quotes

On witnessing the 800m world record of one minute 40.91 seconds run by David RUDISHA (KEN) when winning the London 2012 Olympic Games gold medal: 
"That was simply an unbelievable performance. David RUDISHA showed supreme physical and mental confidence to run like that in an Olympic final."

"Instead of just doing enough to win the race he wanted to do something extraordinary and go for the world record as well."

"RUDISHA's run will go down in history as one of the greatest Olympic victories. I feel privileged to have witnessed it in London."

Duane Solomon 4th - 1:42.82



Solomon Quotes

On the race:
"It was amazing to be part of it in this environment (at the Olympic Games), in world record pace."

Nick Symmonds 5th - 1:42.95

In spite of the problems and bureaucratic bullshit, I love this sport.



Symmonds Quotes

On David RUDISHA (KEN) breaking the world record:
"I was honoured to run in a race like that in the same race as him. I had a front row seat."

"All eight people - seasons bests, personal bests, world record. It was an unbelievable race, I'm proud to be part of it."

"It has given me a renewed love for the sport. In spite of the problems and bureaucratic bullshit, I love this sport."

On his performance: 
"I need runners like that to push me, I am a racer. I ran one minute, 42.95 seconds and it was good enough for fifth."

"I didn't win a medal, but I did the best I could."

Full Results:




Symmonds/Solomon by the hair of his chinny chin chin!


FULL RESULTS

Heat 1: Sudan's Abubaker Kaki led early like he typically likes to do (unless Rudisha is in the race) coming thru the 400 in a controlled 51.01. In the final 100 meter Nijel Amos of Botswana, the World Junior champ, challenged Kaki taking the lead slighty but it wasn't too last as Abubaker came back to take the heat in 1:44.51 to 1:44.54.

Next potentially in on time: Kszczot (POL) 1:45.34, Chemut (KEN) 1:45.63

Heat 2: Russian Yuriy Borzakovskiy, the 2004 Olympic Champ, lead through 400 in 51.30 before being passed by Kenya's David Rudisha. Symmonds who was mid-pack looked to be in good position with 200 to go sitting in 4th place and started moving up. Rudisha went on to win in 1:44.35 while Great Britain's Andrew Osagie snuck by Symmonds in 1:44.74. Symmonds came through as a fast third place qualifier 1:44.87. Borzakovskiy faded to fifth running a season's beast 1:45.09, which may end up being the last race of his career.

Next potentially in on time: Symmonds (USA) 1:44.87, Lewandowski (POL) 1:45.08

Heat 3: Amerian Duane Solomon led through 400 (51.18) and 600 meters (1:17.72), the fastest splits of any semi-final heat. In the final 100 meters Kenya's Timothy Kitum and Ethiopian favorite Mohammed Aman passed Solomon to take the automatic qualifying spots. Aman won in 1:44.44, Kitum was second in 1:44.63. Solomon held on for a strong third place showing in 1:44.93. USA with two in the final!

Athletes in on time: Symmonds (USA) 1:44.87, Solomon (USA) 1:44.93

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KD Out, Symmonds & Solomon Thur

Heat 1:
Nijel Amos of Botswana is a new force in the world of 800 meter running. The world junior champion eased his way to winning section one while American Khadevis Robinson struggled to kick on the final homestretch, finished fifth and will not be moving on to the final. Poland's Marcin Lewandowski also failed to make it through.

1	8	1211	Nijel Amos	BOT	1:45.90 Q	.
2	9	1230	Fabiano Peçanha	BRA	1:46.29 Q	.
3	7	1624	Luis Alberto Marco	ESP	1:46.86 Q	.
4	5	3248	Khadevis Robinson	USA	1:47.17	.
5	2	2658	Marcin Lewandowski	POL	1:47.64 q	.
6	3	2837	Ivan Tukhtachev	RUS	1:49.77	.
7	6	2022	Derek Mandell	GUM	1:58.94	.
.	4	2380	Mohammad Al-Azemi	KUW	DQ

Heat 2:
David Rudisha went to his typical spot at the front but led the field through only in 52.7 seconds. The world record holder cruised through the finish in 1:45.90 ahead of Musaeb Balla of Qatar and Andrew Osagie of Britain, the two other individual qualifiers.

1	7	2319	David Lekuta Rudisha	KEN	1:45.90 Q	.
2	8	2754	Musaeb Abdulrahman Balla	QAT	1:46.37 Q	.
3	4	1827	Andrew Osagie	GBR	1:46.42 Q	.
4	6	2748	Wesley Vazquez	PUR	1:46.45	.
5	9	1056	Jeffrey Riseley	AUS	1:46.99	.
6	5	2966	Ismail Ahmed Ismail	SUD	1:48.79	.
7	2	1157	Anis Ananenka	BLR	1:49.61	.
8	3	1277	Samorn Kieng	CAM	1:55.26	(S

Heat 3:
Abubaker Kaki took the race out in a fast 52.8 seconds and fought off challengers to win in 1:45.51.

Heat 4: 
Nick Symmonds ran his typically intelligent race, staying midpack at the early stages and moving past his opponents to win the section in 1:45.91. Canada's Geoff Harris was second and Poland's Adam Kszczot was third. Athens Olympic champ Yuriy Borzakovskiy was fifth and will need to hope for an spot in the semifinal as a time qualifier.

1	5	3254	Nick Symmonds	USA	1:45.91 Q	.
2	4	1290	Geoffrey Harris	CAN	1:45.97 Q	(PB)
3	9	2655	Adam Kszczot	POL	1:45.99 Q	.
4	6	1745	Pierre-Ambroise Bosse	FRA	1:46.03 q	.
5	7	2803	Yuriy Borzakovskiy	RUS	1:46.29 q	.
6	2	1546	Andreas Bube	DEN	1:46.40	.
7	3	1014	Manuel António	ANG	1:52.54	.
.	8	2527	Brice Etes	MON	DQ

Heat 5: 
After a slow early pace led by Brit Michael Rimmer, things really started moving with Hamada Mohamed of Egypt seizing the lead with 100 meters to go and winning in 1:48.05.
Heat 6: 
Ethiopian phenom Mohammed Aman strode away from early leader Anthony Chemut of Kenya to win in 1:47.34.

1	2	1678	Mohammed Aman	ETH	1:47.34 Q	.
2	4	2293	Anthony Chemut	KEN	1:47.42 Q	.
3	5	1634	Antonio Manuel Reina	ESP	1:47.44 Q	.
4	9	1420	Rafith Rodríguez	COL	1:47.70	.
5	3	2115	Adnan Taess Akkar	IRQ	1:47.83	(SB)
6	6	2454	Amine El Manaoui	MAR	1:48.48	.
7	7	3364	Prince Mumba	ZAM	1:49.07	.
8	8	2346	Erzhan Askarov	KGZ	1:59.56

Heat 7:
Recent 1:43 man Duane Solomon took the pace out in a blistering 50 seconds to keep himself out of trouble and held on to win in 1:46.01. 

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(last updated: July 19th 1:15pm)
 

Men's 800m Quick Hits
2012 London Olympic Games



800 Meter Schedule
Day 4, August 6th - Round 1 (4:50am CT) - Qualifying procedure TBA
Day 5, August 7th - Semi-Final (1:55pm CT) - Qualifying procedure TBA
Day 7, August 9th - Final (2:00pm CT)

800 Meter Records
World Record - 1:41.01 - David Rudisha (KEN) 29 August 2010
Olympic Record - 1:42.58 - Vebjorn Rodal (RUS) 31 July 1996
American Record - 1:42.60 - Johnny Gray 28 August 1985

The Favorites (personal best/season best)
1. David Rudisha, Kenya (1:41.01/1:41.54) - Reigning World Champion, World Record Holder
2. Nijel Amos (1:43.11/1:43.11) - 2012 World Junior Champion
3. Mohammad Aman (1:43.37/1:43.51) - 2012 Wolrd Indoor Champion

The Americans
1. Nick Symmonds (1:43.92/1:43.76) - 5xUS Champion, 2xOlympian
2. Khadevis Robinson (1:43.68/1:44.54) - Seasoned veteran, 5xUS Champion at 800m
3. Duane Solomon (1:44.65/1:44.65) - First time Olympian

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