Rudisha ‘returns’ Olympic gold home after peerless show in Rio Games

IN RIO DE JANEIRO

World 800m champion David Rudisha delivered a peerless performance in defending his 800m Olympic title early yesterday at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

Rudisha, who is also the 800m world record-holder, clocked a seasonal best of 1 minute 42.15 seconds to become the first Kenyan Olympian to win back-to-back titles in any event in successive editions of the games.

Rudisha, whose name means return in Kiswahili, was all class in a smooth 800m victory, which made him the first man since New Zealand’s Peter Snell in 1964 to win the event at consecutive Olympics.

As the rain eased, the middle-distance star, who holds the rank of Chief Inspector in the Kenya Police Traffic Department, emerged to stamp his class in the 800m.

The world champion and world record-holder hit the front in the final 300m and had one more gear than his rivals as he swept to the line in 1 min 42.15sec.

Before the final, Rudisha had emphatically stated that he was back in form and fully focused on winning the title, which he did by seeing off a spirited challenge from Taoufik Makhloufi of Algeria in the final 200m.

About an hour-and-a-half to the race, the heavens opened and pounded Rio, forcing the programme to be delayed by about 20 minutes.

But when the weather cleared, it turned into a memorable night for Rudisha.

“It was tough, but thankfully I was able to stay focused all through the race and eventually came out victorious. It’s a fantastic feeling winning the Olympics title after a difficult season in 2013 when I struggled with injuries,” Rudisha said.

“At some point in the race, I looked around the field and realised I was the only finalist from London (Olympics). It’s not been easy, considering the amount of training you have to go through just to get here,” he added.

Just like in London four years ago, when he won his first Olympic title in an astonishing world record time of 1:40.91, Rudisha came up against a field of strong athletes all keen on wresting the title from him.

But he had other ideas and spared no effort in stamping his authority on the closing stages of the race.

As has become his trademark, Rudisha employed the strategy of running from the front, although it was Alfred Kipketer, who got off to a sizzling start and stayed in the lead until the last 300m with Rudisha breathing down his neck.

But as Kipketer faded out, Rudisha hit the front and his rapid acceleration left no room for any of the chasers to get close to him.

With Rudisha still in the lead, Makhloufi tried to make a move coming to the final bend, but the world record-holder engaged a higher gear that left the Algerian with a great deal of work to do on the home straight.

In the final 60 metres, it was Rudisha all the way to the sound of a deafening roar from the crowd inside the Olympic Stadium.

“Running 1:42, is just fantastic. I had no doubts before. The feeling in my body was good.

“It is great to win in such a big competition, my second gold. It’s so great. I am so excited. It is the greatest moment of my career,” Rudisha said.

Makhloufi took silver in 1:42.61 while Clayton Murphy of the United States clocked 1:42.93 to win the bronze medal.

Ferguson Rotich, who has endured a troubled competition over off-the-field controversy in the Kenyan camp, finished fifth in 1:43.55, while Kipketer settled for a disappointing seventh in 1:46.02.