Rudisha storms to winning start in Melbourne

Record holder, David Rudisha’s bid to repeat as Olympics champion in Rio-de-Janeiro later in August started in similar fashion to the 2012 season where he lit up London when he won the men 800m race at the IAAF World Challenge meeting in Melbourne.

The two-time world champion memorably left the entire London Olympics Stadium speechless when he blasted to the 1:40.91 standard and hoping to recreateed loc his golden season, Rudisha clocked 1:44.78 in his first outing of 2016.

“Coming here I was hoping for something like 1:44, 1:45. So I was happy to start with that,” the Daegu 2011 and Beijing 2015 world champion over two laps told the IAAF.

Delight registered on the face of 20-year-old Australian Luke Matthews who chased the powerful king of 800m all the way home to smash his personal best by more than a second with his 1:45.16 the  was his first time under the Olympic qualifying standard.

It was Rudisha’s fifth start in Melbourne for five wins, ranging from his meeting record of 1:43.15 in 2010 to his 1:44.94 to start 2015, the year he won his second world title.

Compatriot and former world junior and Commonwealth champion, James Magut was led to the altar by home runner, Ryan Gregson with the clocks returning 3:38.06 against 3:40.03.

Gregson pushed strongly at the bell in an effort to better the Olympic qualifying standard.

His best from the bell to the 200m mark opened up a substantial gap on New Zealand’s Eric Speakman, Collis Birmingham and Magut.

But Gregson paid a price for his aggression, slowing a little on the final straight into the wind to win in 3:38.06.

Australian pair, Brett Robinson (13:33.13) and Sam McEntee (13:33.73) put Elijah Kipchirchir (13:35.38) with the Kenyan finishing third.

-Material from IAAF used in this report