Rudisha opens with impressive 1:45.01 in Sydney Track Classic

David Rudisha wins the 800m race during the Sydney Track Classic meeting. [PHOTO: IAAF]

Olympic 800m champion and world record holder David Rudisha opened his 2015 season with an impressive 1:45.01 win at the Sydney Track Classic on Saturday.

Rudisha strode powerfully away from Alex Rowe over the final 200 metres after the Australian had desperately tried to cling to his heels in the hope of being dragged to a national record.

Instead, Rowe had to dig deep to hold off New Zealand’s Brad Mathas, with the pair clocking 1:47.38 to 1:47.39 respectively.

Rudisha’s fourth visit to Australia in the past six years brought his slowest winning time over two laps during that time, but he had warned before the race that he was not as advanced in his preparations as in his earlier visits.

Nor did he run a 400m race as a lead-in, which he has done ahead of his other three visits Down Under.

Consequently, it was no surprise when Rudisha’s preferred pacemaker, Sammy Tangui, went through 400m in a tick under 51 seconds rather than his customary 49-point something. Rudisha was a couple of strides back in about 51.5 with Rowe on his heels.

Rudisha said he was happy with his run, considering the limited amount of specific preparation he has had in his absence through injury.

The aim for this year is simple: to return to the top of the pile over 800m.

Rudisha will clash again with Rowe, as well as Jeff Riseley and last year’s national champion Joshua Ralph, at next Saturday’s Melbourne World Challenge meeting, the opening leg of the 2015 IAAF World Challenge.

Kenya’s Magdalene Masai won the women’s 5000m in an outdoor world lead of 15:10.46. The race served as the Australian championship which went to second-placed Madeleine Heiner in 15:21.09.

There was an upset in the women’s 200m when Ella Nelson produced a lifetime best of 23.24 to win. Melissa Breen took the second place in 23.39 and pushed Sally Pearson, who ran 23.44, down into third place.

Pearson has rarely brought the same authority to the half-lap distance as she does to her pet 100m hurdles event and the flat 100m but it is still a rare thing for her to lose domestically, especially given her seemingly unquenchable competitive drive.

This time, though, she had no answer as first Nelson and then Breen came past in the final 20 metres.

— IAAF

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Sydney Track