Kenyan · Kilgoris, Kenya · Born 17 December 1988Kenyan middle-distance runner and double Olympic 800m champion, widely regarded as the greatest 800m runner of all time with world record 1:40.91
David Lekuta Rudisha was born in Kilgoris, Kenya in 1988. He holds the 800-metre world record of 1:40.91, set at the London 2012 Olympics in what is widely considered the greatest 800-metre race ever run — he broke the world record and the entire final ran the eight fastest 800 metres in Olympic history simultaneously. He won Olympic gold at London 2012 and Rio 2016. He won two World Championship titles. He was coached by an Irish Catholic missionary priest, Colm O'Connell, at St Patrick's High School in Iten, Kenya — a coaching relationship that produced multiple world champions and reflects the unique convergence of Irish Catholic missionary education and Kenyan running culture. His running style — smooth, economical, devastating in the bell lap — is considered the model for how the 800 metres should be run. Knee injuries disrupted his final years of competition.
800m world record holder and Olympic champion
How They Played
Front-running tactical approach with exceptional speed endurance
Lasting Impact
Greatest 800m runner of all time, revolutionized middle-distance running
Career Honours
- Olympic Gold 2x (800m 2012,2016)
- World Record 800m (1:40.91)
- World Championships 2x
Kenyan Athletes