Arop nears personal best in Monaco 800m, won by record-setting Algerian Djamel Sedjatis
CBC
It promises to be a fierce battle for Olympic gold in the men's 800 metres, given the performances of several runners the past week.
Djamel Sedjati of Algeria was victorious in his second Diamond League race in five days, posting a season world-leading and national record time of one minute 41.46 seconds on Friday in Monaco after going 1:41.56 for the previous lead time last Sunday at the Meeting de Paris.
The 25-year-old's performance is a Diamond League record and took down the 1:41.89 meet mark of Botswana's Nijel Amos held since July 12, 2019.
Sedjati, who entered Friday ranked third in the world, now sits third all-time in the event behind Kenyan David Rudisha (1:40.91) and Wilson Kipketer (1:41.11) of Denmark.
Mohamed Attaoui set a Spanish mark of 1:42.04 for second place in Monaco, while European champion Gabriel Tual was third (1:42.10) after the Frenchman placed third in Paris.
Reigning world champion Marco Arop of Edmonton led Friday's race with 200 metres remaining but fell off the pace down the straightaway at the Stade Louis II, finishing sixth.
Still, the world's top-ranking 800m runner recorded a 1:42.93 season best, just 8-100ths of a second shy of his personal best from a second-place effort in the Diamond League Final last Sept. 17 at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore.
It is the first time in four races this season Arop hasn't won. The 25-year-old was coming off a 1:43.71 run at the Canadian Olympic trials on June 29 in Montreal.
In Monaco, Arop jostled for position briefly with Sedjati early on before settling into third position. He was third behind Catalin Tecuceanu of Italy and Kenya's Aaron Cheminingwa but took the lead shortly thereafter with Sedjati quickly in pursuit.
WATCH l Arop places 6th in Monaco:
In other action, Christopher Morales Williams of Vaughan, Ont., was sixth in his professional debut at Friday's meet also referred to as Herculis EBS Monaco.
The 19-year-old worked his way to third position 300 metres from the finish in the men's 400 and was fourth around the bend before reaching the finish in 45.11 seconds.
That time is quicker than his 45.44 from the 400 final at the recent Olympic trials.
WATCH l Morales Williams finishes 6th in pro debut:
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