It’s been a great year for David Rudisha, Kenya’s first ever winner of the IAAF Male World Athlete of the Year award. During a memorable one week span in August, the Kenyan twice broke the world record for 800 meters. In Germany on 22 August, Rudisha clocked 1:41.09. And in Italy on 29 August, the young star lowered it to 1:41.01. Check out Rudisha’s world record run in this YouTube video.
The 21-year-old Rudisha is the youngest winner of the IAAF award, and his performances in 2010 promise he’ll be taking home more honors in the years to come. He was unbeaten in 12 finals this year, and he successfully defended his African title in front of friendly fans in Nairobi.
Rudisha is already thinking about breaking the 800-meter world record again in 2011, but he realizes it will not be easy. “Next year, I know it’s going to be tough,” says Rudisha, “because the biggest problem is to maintain the same level and since next year we have the world championship (in Daegu, South Korea) – that will be my main focus. At the same time, I also want to run faster than that, so it is the biggest challenge.”
With the IAAF World Championships in 2011, and the London Olympics in 2012, look for David Rudisha to bring more glory to Kenya, which has perhaps the proudest tradition of any country in middle and long-distance footraces.