RIETI (Italy), Sept 9: Wilson Kipketer ran the fastest 800 metres of the year Sunday at the Rieti Grand Prix II meeting.

The Dane’s one minute 42.32 seconds improved his own previous mark of 1:42.74 set at the Brussels Golden League meeting nine days ago. Kipketer holds the world record at 1:41.11.

In the 1,500 metres, Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco failed in a bid to lower his own world record of 3:26.00, winning in 3:26.96 with runner-up Vyacheslav Shabunin of Russia nearly eight seconds behind.

Leading results:

MEN’S:

100 metres: 1. Uchenna Emedolu (Nigeria) 10.10 seconds; 2. Bernard Williams (US) 10.16; 3. Mark Lewis-Francis (Britain) 10.18.

200 metres: 1. Uchenna Emedolu (Nigeria) 20.31 seconds; 2. Coby Miller (US) 20.33; 3. Marlon Devonish (Britain) 20.38.

800 metres: 1. Wilson Kipketer (Denmark) 1 minute 42.32 seconds; 2. Wilfred Bungei (Kenya) 1:42.34; 3. William Yiampoy (Kenya) 1:42.91.

1,500 metres: 1. Hicham El Guerrouj (Morocco) 3 minutes 26.96 seconds; 2. Vyacheslav Shabunin (Russia) 3:34.63; 3. Robert Rono (Kenya) 3:34.63.

3,000 metres: 1. Patrick Ivuti (Kenya) 7 minutes 38.69 seconds; 2. James Kwalia (Kenya) 7:38.86; 3. Joseph Kosgei (Kenya) 7:39.38.

110 metres hurdles: 1. Allen Johnson (US) 13.29 seconds; 2. Zhivko Videnov (Bulgaria) 13.52; 3. Mike Fenner (Germany) 13.65.

400 metres hurdles: 1. Joey Woody (US) 48.96 seconds; 2. Fabrizio Mori (Italy) 49.19; 3. Pawel Januszewski (Poland) 49.54.

High jump: 1. Stefan Holm (Sweden) 2.29 metres; 2. Abderrahmane Hammad (Algeria) 2.25; 3. Jermaine Mason (Jamaica) 2.25.

Shot put: 1. Paolo Dal Soglio (Italy) 20.50 metres; 2. Ville Tiisanoja (Finland) 20.32; 3. Janus Robberts (South Africa) 20.24.

WOMEN’S:

200 metres: 1. Myriam Leonie Mani (Cameroon) 22.91 seconds; 2. Sylviane Felix (France) 22.99; 3. Manuela Levorato (Italy) 23.01.

400 metres: 1. Olabisi Afolabi (Nigeria) 51.94 seconds; 2. Monique Hennagan (US) 52.01; 3. Sandie Richards (Jamaica) 52.45.

1,500 metres: 1. Suzy Favor Hamilton (US) 3 minutes 59.43 seconds; 2. Carla Sacramento (Portugal) 4:02.28; 3. Natalya Gorelova (Russia) 4:02.94.—Reuters