Max Burgin backs himself to pull off stunning 800m win in Rabat Diamond League encounter
HALIFAX’S Max Burgin believes he got his tactics spot on as he opened his season in style with victory in the 800m at the Diamond League meeting in Rabat.
Burgin won in a time of 1:42.98 to finish first in a strong field, one that included Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi and to leave some obervers believing he is in position to seriously challenge Sebastien Coe's long-standing British record in the coming weeks.
After a strong start to the race, Burgin followed pacemaker Patryk Sieradzki before going into the lead at the start of the back straight before holding off a late challenge from Wanyonyi to cross the line ahead of the rest of the field and claim his first Diamond League victory.
Burgin finished sixth in the final of the World Championships last year in Tokyo in a personal best time of 1:42.29.
"It was great conditions,” said a delighted Burgin.
"I thought I was in good shape going in and no one else was making a decisive move so I went with the pacemaker and stuck with it.”
Elsewhere, Matthew Hudson-Smith performed well in the 400m, finishing second in 44.25, just behind the United States’ Jacory Patterson.
GB's Molly Caudery achieved seventh in the pole vault with a jump of 4.60m – just 20cm off eventual winner, Australia’s Nina Kennedy.
The USA’s Kenny Bednarek blew away the rest of the field when racing to 200m victory in 19.69 seconds.