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\u00a0Ethiopian teenager Mohammed Aman trumped world and Olympic champion David Rudisha of Kenya in emphatic style in the men’s 800m in the Diamond League meeting here on Thursday.<\/p>\n
This race, Rudisha’s only outing since he won gold in London earlier this month in a new world record of 1min 40.91sec, had been billed as another chance for the 23-year-old Kenyan to better his own mark.<\/p>\n
But no one had counted on the kick of 18-year-old Aman, who finished sixth at the Olympics but who importantly last year became the first and last man to defeat Rudisha since 2009.<\/p>\n
Starting in lane seven with Kenyan training partner Sammy Tangui on his outside, Rudisha bolted past his pacemaker in the opening strides.<\/p>\n
With any chance of a world record completely out of the window in cold, wet conditions, Rudisha found himself in front but in a real dogfight with Aman, who kicked past the Kenyan world champion as the duo rounded the last bend.<\/p>\n
Aman held on for a convincing win in a personal best of 1:42.53, with Rudisha timing 1:42.81 and another Kenyan, Leonard Kosencha, completing the podium (1:44.29).<\/p>\n
“The race was good, really,” said Rudisha. “The race was fast and the winner acheived a 1:42.5 time and new personal best.<\/p>\n
“My legs felt tired and I cannot run well if the weather is not good.<\/p>\n
“I hoped for a fast race here and am a little disappointed. It is very difficult to get a good pacemaker to pace for a 800m world record, but this time it was good. It was the rain that stopped me.”<\/p>\n
Aman was left extremely happy with having trumped Rudisha for a second time.<\/p>\n
“I am incredibly thankful to win in front of this audience with a new personal best and a new national record,” he said.<\/p>\n
“This was the final Diamond League race and therefore a strong one. I am very happy and hopefully next year I will beat the world record.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n