David Rudisha 800m world record holder

David Rudisha 800m world record holder, a photo by Peter M Njoroge on Flickr.

Born in Kilgoris, Trans Mara District, Rudisha went to St. Patrick's, Kimuron Secondary School in Iten, Keiyo District, which is known for nurturing several top runners including Wilson Kipketer the previous 800 m world record holder. In April 2005 Japheth Kimutai recommended Rudisha to James Templeton, and Rudisha joined the group of runners managed by Templeton, which has at various time included Kimutai, Bernard Lagat and Augustine Choge. Initially he was a 400 metres runner, but his coach, Irishman Colm O’Connell, prompted him to try 800 metres. In 2006 he became the world junior champion over that distance.
Rudisha competed at the 2009 World Athletics Championships, reaching the 800 metres semifinals. In September 2009, Rudisha won the IAAF Grand Prix meeting in Rieti, Italy, posting a new African record of 1:42.01, beating the 25-year old record of 1:42.28 set by compatriot Sammy Koskei. That effort put him in fourth place on the all-time list. In the 2010 IAAF Diamond League, he took on Abubaker Kaki at the Bislett Games in June. He defeated Sebastian Coe's 31-year-old meet record with a run of 1:42.04, giving him another place in the top-ten fastest ever 800 m and leaving Kaki the consolation of the fastest ever non-winning time.On 10 July 2010, Rudisha ran the 800 m in 1:41.51 at the KBC Night of Athletics in Heusden, Belgium; this new personal record placed him at number two, all-time in the world for the 800 m.
In November 2010, at the age of 21, he became the youngest ever athlete to win the IAAF World Athlete of the Year award. He also won the Kenyan Sportsman of the Year award.
With a time of 1:41.74, Rudisha set the United States all comers 800 m record at the 2012 adidas Grand Prix at Icahn Stadium in New York City. He guaranteed his selection for the Kenyan Olympic team for the first time with a win at the Kenyan trials, running a time of 1:42.12 minutes – the fastest ever recorded at altitude.
He broke his own record at the London 2012 Olympics on 9 August 2012, with a time of 1:40.91.
"The Greatest 800 Meter Race Ever". From the start of the 800 metres, Rudisha led and pulled away from the rest of the field after 200 meters. By the 600 meter mark this gap had grown to several metres. He continued to pull away until the final 10 meters of the race where jogged past the line in a world record time of 1.40.91. he is first man to go below 1.41. . This race was noted as the first time in 800 meter history where every competitor ran either a personal or season's best.
With this victory and the gold medal, Rudisha cemented his place as the greatest 800 meter runner in history.
Rudisha is a member of the Maasai ethnic group in Kenya and his father, Daniel Rudisha, is a former runner who won silver at the 1968 Olympics as part of the Kenyan 4 × 400 m relay team, while his mother Naomi is a former 400 m hurdler.