WR holder David Rudisha left on the start line in odd Shanghai 800m race
David Rudisha, the world record holder and Olympic champion in the 800m, was left confused on the start line at the Shanghai Diamond League on Saturday.
Did anyone predict that?
Ferguson Rotich won in 1:45.68 while David Rudisha faded to fifth in 1:46.24.
— IAAF Diamond League (@Diamond_League) May 14, 2016
The Shanghai Diamond League on Saturday featured a stacked men’s 800m field, which included Kenyan and world record holder David Rudisha and American Nick Symmonds.
Surprisingly Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich defeated Rudisha, the Olympic champion, but there was some start line confusion where Rudisha lost valuable time.
The 27-year-old was in lane eight and in a relaxed position as the gun went off. Startled, Rudisha looked around, threw up his hands and was off but lost about 10 metres in a race where it’s tough to make up ground because it’s an extended sprint.
See video footage below:
Steve Cram, the race’s commentator, added that the race was “a farce,” while Bram Som, the Dutch athlete who can be seen standing on the start line in lane nine, was left even further behind by the confusion. Som was the race’s pacer, an athlete who runs a portion of the race at the front to encourage fast times, but only caught up to the lead group as the pack approached the halfway mark.
RELATED: Shanghai gets the best possible subway upgrade ahead of Diamond League meet.
The official in lane nine was also on the track and had to step off to ensure Som was not impeded in the first 100m. Athletes run in lanes for the first portion of the race and only then can they cut in to the lane one.
Rudisha, who ended up in fifth in 1:46.24, said after the race that there were high jumpers on the track and that he expected a delay in the start time.
— Nick Zaccardi (@nzaccardi) May 14, 2016
Symmonds finished well back in the pack in 1:48.39. Rotich, the race winner, ran 1:45.68.
For the race, Symmonds was forced to cover up a temporary tattoo that he auctioned off on eBay because of advertising restrictions at international events.
RELATED: See how much Symmonds sold ad space for on his shoulder (hint: five figures).
Nick Symmonds' covered T-Mobile temporary tattoo in Shanghai tonight. pic.twitter.com/gwacKfp57d
— Nick Zaccardi (@nzaccardi) May 14, 2016
The Diamond League circuit is a series of high-level competitions held throughout the world in the spring and summer as athletes prepare for the Olympics, attempt to qualify for the Games or try to earn a sizeable payday. There were no Canadians competing in running events on Saturday.
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