In 2012, the summer Olympics came to London, United Kingdom. It was a special summer for sports lovers, and one event in particular still gives me goose bumps when I watch the race back again.
Those with some knowledge of London 2012 could be thinking that I'm going to talk about Mo Farah's gold medals in the 5000 and 10000 metres, or one of the indoor cycling events in which GB picked up 8 gold medals, but the most memorable race for me was won by someone who said he was going to do just that, and break his own world record in the process.
David Rudisha came to London 2012 with two goals in mind - the 800 m gold and a new world record. Training had apparently gone well for the event, and Rudisha was confident that if conditions were right, he would go close to his own world record.
The heats were a breeze as Rudisha won both of his without trouble. At 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in), his stride looked huge as he bounced off the track to make his way into the final.
Winning the race was clearly important for him, but much of the prior hype around the event was the possibility of breaking his own world record. If it was to be done in the final, it would be the first since Cuba's Alberto Juantorena took the 800 metre gold and WR in 1976.
World record attempts at middle distances usually happen when there is a pace setter in the event. On this occasion, with all 8 runners hoping to pick up a medal, there was no pace setter and so Rudisha chose to make his own pace. He led from the start, at the 400m and 600m split, and crossed the line in 1 min 40.91 seconds.
That alone was enough to make the race a memorable one, but as the times and comparisons started to come through for the other competitors, you knew that something special had taken place.
Rudisha finished five metres clear of Nijel Amos of Botswana who timed at 1:41.73 - a world junior record, national record, and Botswana's first ever Olympic medal in athletics.
Third was Kenyan Timothy Kitum woh took the the bronze in a personal best of 1:42.53.
The chart below quickly explains the depth of quality in the race as Rudisha 'pulled' the other athletes round to each set a record themselves.
Seven of the eight finalists set personal bests and the GB competitor Andrew Osagie who finished in last, crossed the line in a time that would have won him gold in the 2008 Olympic final.
David Rudisha not only won gold and broke his own world record (which still stands today), he inspired the 7 guys behind him and pushed them to levels they'd not seen before.
Watch the race, it is most awesome!
Cheers
Asher
