Olympic Track and Field 2016: Men's 800M Medal Winners, Times and Results

Kenya's David Rudisha repeated as the Olympic champion in the men's 800-meter race Monday at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.Rudisha's final time of one minute, 42.15 seconds was slower than the mark he set in London in 2012 (1:40.91), but it was enough to secure a first-place finish ahead of Algeria'sTaoufik Makhloufi. Clayton Murphy delivered a bronze medal to the United States.Kenya's Alfred Kipketer set the pace early, running well ahead of the pack. Rudisha, meanwhile, was content to stay back with the other runners and conserve energy.The strategy proved to be smart, as Kipketer began fading quickly, and his medal challenge was all but over after 400 meters. Rudisha, on the other hand, jumped into first place and never looked like he would relinquish it.Makhloufitried to make it interesting in the final 100 meters, but Rudisha was too fast. The 27-year-old timed his finishing kick perfectly and easily secured the gold. WJZ-TV's Mark Viviano was impressed by Rudisha's run:Despite finishing in third, Murphy was impressive nonetheless. The United States hasn't experienced much success in the men's 800-meter race, and according to sportswriter Philip Hersh, Murphy was the first American male to earn a medal in the event since Johnny Gray secured bronze in 1992.Sports Illustrated's Tim Layden added more perspective for the 21-year-old's run:Murphy looks to be a rising star for the U.S. At this time last year, he was running at the 2015 NACAC Championships in Costa Rica. Competing in the Olympics was a massive step up, and he exceeded expectations.In four years' time, Murphy could be a contender for gold in the 800 meters.
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