Boise product Nick Symmonds was in second place as he rounded the final corner in a hotly contested men's 800-meter final at the world outdoor track and field championships Sunday in Berlin, but he ran out of gas and faded to sixth.

The 2002 Bishop Kelly High graduate finished in 1 minute, 45.71 seconds and missed ending a 12-year American medal drought in the outdoor 800 by less than half of a second. It was the highest finish by an American at a world outdoor championships since Rich Kenah won the bronze medal in 1997.

South Africa's Mbulaeni Mulaudzi held off several late challengers to win in 1:45.29, while defending champion Alfred Kirwa Yego and Bahrain's Yusuf Saad Kamel claimed silver and bronze with identical times of 1:45.35. Mulaudzi led wire-to-wire with Symmonds situated off his right shoulder until they negotiated the final straightaway.

Russian Yuriy Borzakovskiy (1:45.57) and Morocco's Amine Laalou (1:45.66) rounded out the top five. Laalou, Borzakovskiy and Symmonds had the top three season-bests among the 10 finalists.

It was Symmonds' first appearance in a major international outdoor final after he bowed out in the semifinals at the 2007 world outdoor championships and 2008 Olympics. The finish matches his best performance in an international final. He was sixth at the world indoor championships in 2008.

The 25-year-old won a combined seven 4A state championships in cross country and track and field at Bishop Kelly and claimed a combined seven NCAA Division III championships in the 800 (four) and 1,500 (three) at Willamette University (Salem, Ore.). The two-time defending U.S. champion currently lives in Springfield, Ore., and competes for Eugene's Oregon Track Club.

THE DROUGHT CONTINUES: AMERICAN MEN'S 800 MEDALISTS

American world outdoor championship medalists (started in 1983)
Rich Kenah, bronze, 1997
Mark Everett, bronze, 1991

American world indoor championship medalists (started in 1997)
David Krummenacker, gold, 2003
Rich Kenah, bronze, 1997

American Olympic medalists
Johnny Gray, bronze, 1992
Earl Jones, bronze, 1984
Rick Wohlhuter, bronze, 1976
Dave Wottle, gold, 1972
Tom Farrell, bronze, 1968
Tom Courtney, gold, 1956
Mal Whitfield, gold, 1952
Mal Whitfield, gold, 1948
John Woodruff, gold, 1936
Schuyler Enck, bronze, 1924
Earl Eby, silver, 1920
Ted Meredith, gold, 1912
Mel Sheppard, silver, 1912
Ira Davenport, bronze, 1912
Mel Sheppard, gold, 1908
Jim Lightbody, gold, 1904
Howard Valentine, silver, 1904
Emil Breitkreutz, bronze, 1904
John Cregan, silver, 1900
David Hall, bronze, 1900