At 22, David Rudisha is enjoying the fruits of international athletic success. The Kenyan star is heading to this month’s world championships in South Korea as the world record holder at 800-meters and the 2010 IAAF Male Athlete of the Year. Those are two prestigious titles, for sure, but there are two more that I think Rudisha wants even more – to be crowned a world champion and an Olympic champion. While he’s currently regarded as the fastest athlete in the world in the two-lap race, Rudisha lacks the major title that will cement his reputation.
His main challenger in Daegu at the world championships and in London next year at the Olympics could very well be another African, Abubaker Kaki, Sudan’s two-time world indoor champion at 800-meters. Like Rudisha, Kaki is 22, and the two Africans could provide track fans with a great rivalry for years to come. Check out their exciting duel in London on August 5: