by Alfonz Juck
David Rudisha wins Rio 2016 Olympic gold, photo by PhotoRun.netRudisha thinks 2019
NAIROBI (KEN): Two-time Olympic 800m champion David Rudisha has recovered from injury and is focusing primarily on the 2019 season. After taking time out of training to bury his step-sister earlier this week, the Kenyan told Citizen News: “Right now am fully fit no pain and am training well for my next race next season. My main season will be 2019 and 2020 because of the world championship and the Olympics so I will use next season as a build up to that.”
RunBlogRun opines: David Rudisha is one of the finest middle distance runners in the world. His 2012 London Olympic gold, won from the front, and with a World Record and gold medal at the finish of the race. Rudisha was injured from 2013-2014. In 2015, Rudisha won the World Champs in Beijing, while not being back to his complete fitness. In 2016, in Rio de Janiero, David Rudisha took the lead after 500 meters, and ran to victory, his second gold medal over 800 meters. That night, on BBC radio, I was asked if David Rudisha was the finest 800 meter runner ever, and I answered in the affirmative.
David Rudisha, IAAF Gala 2016, photo by PhotoRun.netComing back to fitness is one of the toughest things that an athlete can do. I recall a conversation with Wilson Kipketer in April 2014, before the Copenhagen World Half Marathon. Wilson told me how he tried to regain fitness way too fast several times, and it did not work. David Rudisha is smart, taking his time to recover that amazing level of fitness that gives us, his fans, the amazing feeling of watching a great athlete in full flight. That is what we hope to see, once again, in 2019.
