David Rudisha admitted which event ended his great career

The legendary former 800m runner David Rudisha has finally revealed the gruelling challenges that led to his decision to retire from competitive athletics after 2018. The Kenyan middle-distance running icon, whose remarkable world record of 1:40.91 min set at the London 2012 Olympics remains unbeaten, explained that injuries took a toll on his body, ultimately forcing his premature retirement from the sport.

David Rudisha is widely regarded as the greatest 800m runner of all time, having broken the world record three times in his career.

In 2010, he twice broke the previous record in a week, clocking 1:41.09 min in Berlin before improving it to 1:41.01 min in Rieti. Two years later, he produced one of the greatest performances in Olympic history, winning gold in London in a stunning 1:40.91 min, leading the race from start to finish in what is still considered the perfect 800m race.

His dominance continued with another Olympic gold at the Rio 2016 Games and two world titles in 2011 (Daegu) and 2015 (Beijing). His speed, elegance and tactical intelligence made him an unbeatable force when he was at his peak.

Despite his triumphs, injuries began to plague David Rudisha after his victory in Rio 2016. In an attempt to regain his peak physical condition, he experimented with the 1,000m during his preparation for the 2017 World Championships, hoping to improve his endurance. But that decision would ultimately prove costly.

“The results were terrible and my body felt bad – something I had never felt before”, said David Rudisha. “I said: Not again”, added he.

That 1,000-meter race exposed the physical toll that years of intense competition had taken on him.

“My body had never felt like this before. It was crazy. Then I ran another 800-meter race and that was it. I never competed again”, continue David Rudisha. “Some athletes are lucky enough to come back and perform, but that wasn’t my case because I was a little heavy. I was perfect in the 400, 600, and 800 meters, but the climb was tough”, he explained.