Rudisha targets fast time

SHANGHAI, China:

World 800m record holder and Olympic champion David Rudisha said he has been training well and is looking to step up his preparation ahead of this summer's Olympic Games in Rio, with a positive run at tomorrow's Diamond League in Shanghai, China.

Despite a tough 2013 and having to watch rivals such as Nijel Amos and Ayanleh Souleiman clock impressive times, Rudisha has been the reference point in the men's 800m for the last five years.

After running a world record 1:40.91 at the London Olympics in 2012, Rudisha has managed only one mark below 1:43.00, in 2014.

He did win silver at the Commonwealth Games that year and won gold at last year's World Championships in Beijing.

Rudisha believes he has laid the foundation for a strong season after a useful stay in Australia, followed by an intense camp at home in Kenya.

He has already improved on last season with 1:44.78 and 1:44.89 clockings at meets in Australia, giving him his first back-to-back, sub-1:45.00 start to a season in two years.

He'll come up against four of his countrymen including World Championships finalists Ferguson Cheruiyot and Alfred Kipketer, with World Youth champion, over 1500m from 2013, Robert Biwot.

World Indoor bronze medallist Erik Sowinski (USA) and seasoned campaigner Nick Simmonds, a World Champs silver medal winner in 2013, also from the USA, are expected to make it interesting.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Rudisha noted that he was looking forward to his first Shanghai race, to improve on his times this seasonand lower the meet record of 1:44.63, set in 2008 by Wilfred Bungei.

"I take these events very seriously. It's more important because I want to keep improving and, of course, my ultimate aim is to be at the top in Rio, but here I'm also looking forward to improving from my last time," said.