Bucher on a high

Bucher set a season's best time at Friday's Golden League meeting in Paris Keystone

With less than a month to go until the start of the athletics world championships in Edmonton, Switzerland's Andre Bucher is again emerging as a strong medal contender in the 800 metres.

On Friday Bucher clocked the world’s fastest time this season during the Golden League meeting in Paris, just two days after achieving the same feat at the Athletissima grand prix meeting in Lausanne.

“Each win boosts my confidence,” Bucher said after completing Friday’s race in a time of 1’43″34.

The Lucerne runner’s performance was the fourth fastest of his career, and was just 42 hundredths of a second outside of the Swiss record which he set in 1999.

Bucher’s latest victory keeps him in line for a possible share of the Golden League jackpot, which is divided among any athletes who manage to win a particular event at five of the seven prestigious meetings.

Eight athletes including Bucher remain unbeaten following the opening Golden League meetings in Rome and Paris.

Following Wednesday’s Athletissima meeting, Bucher told swissinfo he had not yet set himself any targets in regards to the Golden League season. “But I am hoping to win a medal in Edmonton,” he added.

The world championships will offer Bucher a chance to bounce back from his disappointment at last year’s Olympics, when he was elbowed off the track during the 800 metres final and was only able to finish in fifth place.

swissinfo with agencies