Over the years, athletics at the Olympic Games has given Kenyans many unforgettable moments. One such moment happened 12 years ago when David Rudisha sprinted to the finish line, shattering the 800m world record with an explosive time of 1:40.91.
He made history as the first man to finish the 800m race in under 1:41, a record that still stands today. This feat was the crowning moment of his career. However, in the 2010 Olympics, he had already broken the record for the first time with a time of 1:41.09 in Berlin.
At just 21 years old, he broke the 13-year-old world record previously held by Wilson Kipketer. On Friday, August 9th, David Rudisha donated the signed white spikes he wore when he first shattered the distance record in 2010.
“I’ve donated my first world record spikes to the museum, and this is really something very special,” he said while handing them to Sebastian Coe.
“I have been keeping them safe, most of my family members have never seen them. We treasure it because it carries a lot of memories during our time when you are running,” Rudisha added.
The handover ceremony was held at the Stade de France on the ninth day of the athletics program in Paris. Sebastian Coe praised Rudisha, calling him the fastest man ever to break the 800m world record.
“It really means a lot and to donate them here, I feel very honored. I believe that this is going to inspire the younger generation and also to tell the story of our sport.”
“David is quite simply the best 800m runner of all time and it really doesn’t matter what happens in this stadium tomorrow. He will still be, in my opinion, the best 800m runner. His performance in London was definitive from gun to tape and a world record. It doesn’t get any better,” said the World Athletics President Sebastian Coe.
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Rudisha shared that his career was filled with moments where he wasn’t afraid to push his limits in pursuit of his goals and dreams. He always believed he was destined to run fast.
Rudisha made his international athletics debut in 2006 by winning the 800m U20 title. He went on to dominate the track event for 11 years until recurring injuries forced him to step down in 2017.
“My athletics career has been like a special journey. I’m really satisfied with my achievement because I have done what any athlete would ever wish to achieve,” he said.
Since then, Rudisha has taken on ambassadorial roles at the World Championships in Budapest and the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow.
“If you talk about the world record, I have done that three times, World Championships two times and the Olympics again twice. This really means a lot because those are the highest achievement in athletics.”
