David Rudisha returns to the scene of the time in Rieti

King of the Rodeo
(TrackAndFieldPhoto)

Last year in Rieti, Italy, David Rudisha brought the heat; the heat being a 1:41.01 World Record in the 800 meters, his second of the season. Mr. Rudisha returns to Rieti Saturday to take aim once again at his heralded record, with personal pacer Sammy Tangui in tow. The race will go off at 12:05pm eastern, as Rieti is six hours ahead of the east coast.

There are a few other exciting distance races going on in Rieti as well.

On the Men's side, the 1500, which goes off at 11:38am, has World Champion, Asbel Kiprop, leading the way, with Amine Laalou, Nick Willis and Ryan Gregson leading the international field, and Americans David Torrence and Will Leer taking aim at the 2012 Olympic A-Standard.

Bernard Lagat leads the 3000 and has said on Twitter that he is taking aim at his 7:29.00 personal best. If he were to better that, he would set an American Record in the process. Tariku Bekele, Vincent Chepkok and others will stand in his way. The race goes off at 11:48am.

On the Women's side, Gold Medalist, Jenny Simpson returns to the track in the 1500. She'll have Spain's Natalia Rodriguez and Morocco's Btissam Lakhouad trying to take her down at 12:25pm.

Full schedule is available here. Full Men's Startlist is here and full Women's Startlist is here. For more up to the minute information, check out our Italian friend, Alberto Stretti's blog. He's looking for a stream and I'll post it if available!

Relive David Rudisha's 1:41.01 World Record last year:


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