Kenya’s Rudisha breaks 800m world record

LONDON – David Rudisha became the first athlete to set a new world record on the track at London 2012 as he won 800m gold.

Friday, August 10, 2012

LONDON – David Rudisha became the first athlete to set a new world record on the track at London 2012 as he won 800m gold.The 23-year-old Kenyan stormed to victory in his debut Olympic final to become the first man inside one minute 41 seconds, clocking 1:40.91.Botswana 18-year-old Nijel Amos took silver, with another teenager, Kenya’s Timothy Kitum, in bronze.Britain’s Andrew Osagie was in eighth place but still clocked a personal best of 1:43.77.Reigning world champion Rudisha led from the off, running an opening lap of 49.28 seconds and storming further clear down the back straight to beat his own world record.With the rest of the field dragged along by his pace, only Abukaker Kaki in seventh failed to record a personal best.Rudisha told BBC Sport: "Wow! I’m very happy. This is the moment I have been waiting for for a very long time. To come here and to break the world record is something unbelievable."I was well-prepared and I had no doubt about winning. Today the weather was beautiful and I decided just to go for it.