Rudisha slowly gaining form ahead of Commonwealth games

Kenya's David Rudisha competes to win the men's 800m race on the second day of the IAAF Diamond League athletics meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, on July 12, 2014. AFP PHOTO/PAUL ELLI

World champ sends clear warning to rivals with world leading time as he prepares for battle with Bostwana's Nijel Amos

David Rudisha lived up to his promise at the Sainsbury‘s Glasgow Grand Prix when he moved to the top of the 800m world list with a commanding performance which was good news to Kenyans just ahead of the Commonwealth Games.
There was also a world-leading run at the IAAF Diamond League meeting from Hiwot Ayalew in a record-breaking women‘s 3000m steeplechase on Saturday.
Rudisha predicted at a press conference in Glasgow two days ago that he would run close to 1:42, but the cool, grey conditions and lack of race practice mitigated against him, and the world record holder had to be satisfied with 1:43.34, equalling the time his Kenyan compatriot Asbel Kiprop ran in Paris a week ago.
It may not have been as quick as he‘d hoped, but Rudisha still delivered a solo sub-53 second final lap which left the 15,000 fans gasping after pacemaker Sammy Tangui had run the first 400m in 49.94.
At that point, Rudisha was leading the chase five metres back but, once in front, he immediately opened a gap, stretching his long legs round the penultimate bend before sprinting down the back straight to go through 600m in 1:16.28, a penultimate 200m of 26.34.
Rudisha kicked again around the bend and entered the straight 20 metres clear before powering down the home straight and across the line.
„I am getting back into shape and I‘m happy to run a season‘s best time despite the conditions not being the best for a perfect time,“ said Rudisha. „I‘m happy to have done what I came for.“
It was the 15th Diamond League win of the Olympic champion‘s career and takes him to the top of the this year‘s Diamond Race ahead of Olympic silver medallist Nijel Amos.
The Botswanan chose to run the 400m in Glasgow, where he finished last in 46.34 in the non-Diamond League event won by his compatriot Issac Makwala in 44.71, while Andre Olivier followed Rudisha home over two laps of Hampden Park.
The South African looks likely to be Rudisha‘s main rival at Commonwealth Games here in three weeks‘ time but he was more than two seconds back in 1:45.65.
It was a happy return to the UK for Rudisha nearly two years after his historic world record in the London 2012 Olympic Games final, a race he described this week as the „greatest ever“.