Rudisha not keen on record, rates world title higher
Source: Agencies |
March 4, 2011, Friday
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Print Edition
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DAVID Rudisha dismissed any talk of bettering his own world 800 meters record before the Daegu world championships this year after coasting to an easy victory at the Melbourne Track Classic yesterday.
Rudisha, who broke the world record in Berlin in August last year and then beat his own mark a week later in Rieti, Italy, clocked one minute 43.88 seconds on a cloudy evening at Olympic Park.
"Tonight was good, running 1:43.88 for the first time for this season is great, that's what I was expecting," said the 22-year-old Rudisha, who finished more than a second faster than American Nick Symmonds. Australia's Lachlan Renshaw finished third.
Rudisha said he would build up gradually before his tilt for a title at the August 27-September 4 world championships in South Korea.
"Last year was a great season for me. This year, is a little bit different because of the world championships, that is my aim and my focus because I don't have any major medals up to now so I have to focus on that," Rudisha told reporters.
Priority
"The world record is not a priority this year. The priority is the world championship, maybe after, that's when I can see if I can try to do something like the world record."
Fellow Kenyan and 1,500 Olympic champion Asbel Kiprop, who finished fourth last year after tripping at the 100 meters mark, finished second to local hero Jeffrey Riseley.
Kenya-born dual world champion Bernard Lagat of the United States won the 5,000 with a time of 13:08.43, burning away from Australia's Ben St. Lawrence in the final straight to clinch a meeting record.
Australia's world champion Dani Samuels won the women's discus with a throw of 61 meters on her second attempt, well short of the personal best of 65.84 she managed in Sydney last year.
"I'm pretty happy with that. Before Brisbane last week, I haven't competed since September so I had to get a few cobwebs out," she said.
New Zealand Olympic champion Valerie Adams had little trouble clinching the women's shot put, recording 20.13 metres with her first attempt for a meeting record.
Rudisha, who broke the world record in Berlin in August last year and then beat his own mark a week later in Rieti, Italy, clocked one minute 43.88 seconds on a cloudy evening at Olympic Park.
"Tonight was good, running 1:43.88 for the first time for this season is great, that's what I was expecting," said the 22-year-old Rudisha, who finished more than a second faster than American Nick Symmonds. Australia's Lachlan Renshaw finished third.
Rudisha said he would build up gradually before his tilt for a title at the August 27-September 4 world championships in South Korea.
"Last year was a great season for me. This year, is a little bit different because of the world championships, that is my aim and my focus because I don't have any major medals up to now so I have to focus on that," Rudisha told reporters.
Priority
"The world record is not a priority this year. The priority is the world championship, maybe after, that's when I can see if I can try to do something like the world record."
Fellow Kenyan and 1,500 Olympic champion Asbel Kiprop, who finished fourth last year after tripping at the 100 meters mark, finished second to local hero Jeffrey Riseley.
Kenya-born dual world champion Bernard Lagat of the United States won the 5,000 with a time of 13:08.43, burning away from Australia's Ben St. Lawrence in the final straight to clinch a meeting record.
Australia's world champion Dani Samuels won the women's discus with a throw of 61 meters on her second attempt, well short of the personal best of 65.84 she managed in Sydney last year.
"I'm pretty happy with that. Before Brisbane last week, I haven't competed since September so I had to get a few cobwebs out," she said.
New Zealand Olympic champion Valerie Adams had little trouble clinching the women's shot put, recording 20.13 metres with her first attempt for a meeting record.
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