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Olympics

London Olympics: David Rudisha sets world record in men’s 800

David Rudisha celebrates after setting a world record in the men's 800 meters.
(Anja Niedringhaus / Associated Press)
By Helene Elliott

LONDON — David Rudisha of Kenya broke his own world record in the 800-meter run Thursday night, a feat met with roars from the crowd at the Olympic Stadium.

Rudisha was timed in 1 minute 40.91 seconds, trimming his previous record of 1:41.01.

Nijel Amos of Botswana was second, in 1:41.73 and Timothy Kitum of Kenya was third in 1:42.53.

The two U.S. entrants came close to a bronze medal. Duane Solomon of Rosemead ran a personal-best 1:42.82, followed by Nick Symmonds of Springfield, Ore., at 1:42.95.

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In the semifinals of the women’s 800-meter race, Alysia Johnson Montano of Canyon Country had the fourth-best time, 1:58.42, and advanced to the final. Alice Schmidt of Coronado (2:01.63) and Geena Gall (2:05.76) did not advance.

Olympics
Helene Elliott

Helene Elliott was with the Los Angeles Times’ Sports department from 1989 to 2024, first as a staff writer and then, starting in 2006, as a columnist. She became the first female journalist to be honored with a plaque in the Hall of Fame of a major professional sport as the 2005 winner of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Elmer Ferguson Award, awarded to writers “who have brought honor to journalism and to hockey.” A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., and graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, she has covered 18 Olympics.

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