Lausanne - World 800m champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi and 1 500m runner Johan Cronje were in top form at the seventh Diamond League meeting of the season, setting season’s bests in Lausanne, Switzerland on Thursday evening.

Mulaudzi was well positioned coming off the final bend, sitting on the shoulder of David Rudisha, but the 21-year-old Kenyan gradually pulled clear to win in 1:43.25.

Mulaudzi hung on for second place in 1:43.58, holding off a late charge from another Kenyan, Alfred Yego, who was third in 1:43.97.

Rudisha stretched his lead at the top of the 800m Diamond League standings, now leading comfortably with 12 points, while the veteran South African remains in second place with six points.

Cronje judged his race well, settling at the back of a large lead group in the early stages of the metric mile before producing an extended kick that saw him finish seventh in 3:35.24, the fastest time by a South African this year.

Kenyan Nicholas Kemboi won comfortably in a world leading time of 3:31.52, improving his career best by almost two seconds.

Versatile distance runner Rene Kalmer struggled in a tactical race to place 15th in the women’s 3 000m.

Kalmer started fast, settling behind the pacemaker early on, but fell behind quickly with the pack swallowing her up after two laps. She trailed the majority of the field home in 8:59.48.

Vivian Cheruiyot of Kenya tore through the final lap in under 60 seconds to secure victory in 8:34.58, setting a new meeting record.

Former Ethiopian Alemita Bekele, now representing Turkey, clocked a personal best 8:35.19 for second place.

South African record holder Ruben Ramolefi did not finish the men’s 3 000m steeplechase. Ramolefi lost ground on the lead group early in the race before withdrawing. Kenya’s Brimin Kipruto won in 8:01.62, the fastest time in the world this year.

The next Diamond League race, the eighth in a series of 14 this season, will be held in Gateshead, England on Saturday night.

Other Results (all distances in metres):

Men:

800
1. David Rudisha, Kenya, 1 minute, 43.25 seconds.
2. Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, South Africa, 1:43.58.
3. Alfred Kirwa Yego, Kenya, 1:43.97.
4. Marcin Lewandowski, Poland, 1:44.30.
5. Michael Rimmer, Britain, 1:44.39.
6. Jackson Mumbwa Kivuna, Kenya, 1:44.54.

400 Hurdles
1. Bershawn Jackson, United States, 47.62.
2. Angelo Taylor, United States, 47.96.
3. Felix Sanchez, Dominican Republic, 48.17.
4. Javier Culson, Puerto Rico, 48.37.
5. David Greene, Britain, 48.49.
6. Isa Phillips, Jamaica, 48.68.

High Jump
1. Ivan Ukhov, Russia, 2.33 meters.
2. Yaroslav Rybakov, Russia, 2.33.
3. Kyriakos Ioannou, Cyprus, 2.30.
4. Donald Thomas, Bahamas, 2.30.
5. Linus Thornblad, Sweden, 2.27.
6. Jesse Williams, United States, 2.27.


Women:

400
1. Debbie Dunn, United States, 49.81.
2. Shericka Williams, Jamaica, 50.04.
3. Novlene Williams-Mills, Jamaica, 50.04.
4. Amantle Montsho, Botswana, 50.07.
5. Rosemarie Whyte, Jamaica, 50.67.
6. Natasha Hastings, United States, 50.83.

1 500
1. Gelete Burka, Ethiopia, 3 minutes, 59.28 seconds.
2. Ibtissam Lakhouad, Morocco, 3:59.35.
3. Nancy Jebet Langat, Kenya, 4:00.13.
4. Lisa Dobriskey, Britain, 4:01.83.
5. Morgan Uceny, United States, 4:02.40.
6. Mimi Belete, Ethiopia, 4:02.64.

Triple Jump
1. Yargelis Savigne, Cuba, 14.99.
2. Olga Rypakova, Kazakhstan, 14.60.
3. Svetlana Bolshakova, Belarus, 14.43.
4. Nadezhda Alekhina, Russia, 14.39.
5. Athanasia Perra, Greece, 14.30.
6. Olha Saladukha, Ukraine, 14.28.

Discus
1. Yarelis Barrios, Cuba, 65.92.
2. Becky Breisch, United States, 64.53.
3. Dani Samuels, Australia, 62.05.
4. Zaneta Glanc, Poland, 61.53.
5. Nadine Mueller, Germany, 61.14.
6. Aretha D. Thurmond, United States, 60.77.