David Rudisha
Kenyan middle-distance runner; world and Olympic 800 m record holder.
David Lekuta Rudisha, MBS (born 17 December 1988) is a retired Kenyan middle-distance runner who holds the world and Olympic records for the 800 metres. He is the only person to have broken the 1:41 barrier in the event, and his three fastest times ever—each a world record at the moment it was set—remain unmatched. Rudisha won Olympic gold in the 800 m at both the 2012 London Games, where he set the current world record of 1:40.91, and the 2016 Rio Games. He also claimed world titles in 2011 and 2015, and Diamond League championships in 2010 and 2011.
Rudisha grew up in Kilgoris, Narok County, and attended Kimuron Secondary School in Iten. Initially a 400 m runner, he switched to the 800 m under the guidance of Irish coach Colm O’Connell. In 2006, he became world junior champion over the distance. He won African Championships gold in 2008 and 2010, and took silver at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. He also holds the world best for the 500 m and the African best for the 600 m. In 2010, at age 21, he became the youngest winner of the IAAF World Athlete of the Year award, and he earned three consecutive Track & Field News Athlete of the Year honors.
Rudisha’s breakthrough came in September 2009, when he ran 1:42.01 in Rieti, Italy—a new African record that broke Sammy Koskei’s 25-year-old mark. In 2010, he twice broke Wilson Kipketer’s world record: first with 1:41.09 in Berlin, then 1:41.01 in Rieti. He also set a meet record of 1:42.04 at the Bislett Games, defeating Abubaker Kaki. At the 2012 London Olympics, Rudisha led from start to finish, completing the first lap in 49.28 seconds and winning in 1:40.91. The race was hailed as the greatest 800 m ever: all eight runners set personal or season’s bests, with silver medalist Nijel Amos setting a world junior record. Rudisha’s time remains the only sub-1:41 performance in history.
After retiring from competition, Rudisha announced in May 2022 that he would run for election as an independent candidate in Kenya’s Kilgoris Constituency. In March 2024, he served as World Athletics ambassador for the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.
- born
- 17 December 1988
- field
- Middle-distance runner
- nationality
- Kenyan
- known_for
- World and Olympic record holder in the 800 metres; first person to run 800 m und
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Rudisha established his running career at the St. Francis Kimuron High School in Elgeyo-Marakwet County. Initially a 400 metres runner, his coach, Irishman Colm O'Connell, prompted him to try the 800 metres. In 2006, he became the world junior champion over that distance. He won 800 m titles at the 2006 World Junior Championships as well as the 2008 and 2010 African Championships, and earned the 2014 Commonwealth Games silver medal. Rudisha also holds the world's best time in the 500 metres and the African best for the 600 metres. At the 2012 London Olympics, Rudisha led from start to finish to win gold in what was acclaimed 'The Greatest 800 Meter Race Ever'. He broke his own world record with a time of 1:40.91, becoming the first and only runner to break the 1:41 barrier. The race featured exceptional depth: two men under 1:42, five under 1:43, and all eight under 1:44. Every competitor ran the fastest time in history for their placing. The time set by the eighth-placed Andrew Osagie, a personal best of 1:43.77, would have won gold at the three preceding Olympic games in Beijing, Athens and Sydney. Rudisha also won gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics and is a two-time World champion (2011 and 2015) and two-time Diamond League champion (2010 and 2011). In May 2022, Rudisha announced he would be running for election in his native Kenya as an independent candidate in the Kilgoris Constituency. In March 2024, he served as the World Athletics ambassador for the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.
Reader's Guide
David Rudisha's significance lies in his unprecedented dominance of the 800 metres, a distance where he set the world record three times and remains the only person to run under 1:41. His Olympic gold in London in 2012 is widely regarded as the greatest 800 m race ever, notable for its depth and the absence of pacemakers. Rudisha's achievements include two Olympic golds, two World titles, and two Diamond League championships. He also holds the world's best time in the 500 metres and the African best for the 600 metres. Beyond competition, Rudisha received the IAAF World Athlete of the Year award in 2010 and three consecutive Track & Field News Athlete of the Year awards. His legacy is further marked by his role as a World Athletics ambassador and his entry into Kenyan politics in 2022.
Did You Know?
- Rudisha is the first and only person to ever run 800 m under 1:41, and holds the three fastest times ever in the event, each being a world record at the time.
- At the 2012 London Olympics, every competitor in the 800 m final ran the fastest time in history for their placing.
- Rudisha's world record of 1:40.91 was set without pacemakers, which are not permitted at the Olympics.
- He is the first person since Peter Snell in 1964 to win back-to-back Olympic 800 m titles.
- Rudisha won the IAAF World Athlete of the Year award in 2010 at the age of 21, becoming the youngest ever athlete to win that award.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is David Rudisha?
David Lekuta Rudisha is a retired Kenyan middle-distance runner born on 17 December 1988, widely regarded as the greatest 800 m specialist of his generation. He is the current holder of both the world and Olympic records in that event.
What are David Rudisha's major records?
Rudisha owns the world record of 1:40.91 and the Olympic record for the 800 metres. He also holds the three fastest times ever logged in the event, each of which was a world record at the moment it was set.
When and where did Rudisha set his world record?
He clocked 1:40.91 in the 800 m final at the 2012 London Olympic Games, a mark that still stands today. He successfully defended his Olympic title in Rio four years later in 2016.
What makes Rudisha unique in 800 m history?
He is the first and only athlete ever to break the 1:41 barrier in the 800 metres. No other runner has ever touched the sub-1:41 mark, making his feat entirely singular in the sport's history.
Why is David Rudisha considered so important in track & field?
His 800 m performances redefined the physical ceiling of the event and left a benchmark that remains unmatched. Back-to-back Olympic golds in London 2012 and Rio 2016 cemented his legacy as the defining middle-distance runner of the modern era.
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