DAVID RUDISHA DELIVERED an 800m masterclass in defending his Olympic title and immediately targeted the two upcoming world championships and a potential treble at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
The Kenyan, also the world champion and world record holder, timed a season’s best of 1:42.15 to become the first man since New Zealand’s Peter Snell, in 1960 and 1964, to defend the 800m title.
Rudisha was quick to dub his stunning victory the greatest moment of his career, but warned there was more to come.
“Now this is over, I’m looking forward to the world championships next year and 2019, and also looking forward to 2020,” he said.
Defending his title for a third time “is my focus now that this is over”.
“I hope I’ll be there in Tokyo in good form and in good spirits.”
Rudisha admitted that the race had not panned out as planned.
“My plan was to run from the front as usual,” he said.
“I talked to my team-mates Ferguson Rotich and Alfred Kipketer before the race.
“But when the gun went Alfred ran the first 200m like a bullet!
“His time was too fast and I settled behind him. I slowed down a little because I felt it was a little bit high.”
Rudisha added: “I knew I was in good 1.42 form.
“I had to maintain and push in the last 300m. I knew my strategy and how to plan my races. I’ve always been good in that respect.
“Unfortunately, they (his team-mates) didn’t follow the plan and it cost them.”
Rudisha said that his comeback from injury in the wake of his London success four years ago had not been easy.
“I lost a lot of races,” he acknowledged, praising his coach Colm O’Connell, the Kenya-based Irish priest-cum-teacher, for helping keep him grounded in an ethos based on working hard and being humble.
“He’s been a great mentor, motivating me and my family.
“It takes a lot of discipline and dedication to maintain your form over the years.
“You have to make a lot of sacrifices to be at the top.
“There’s a lot of pressure, people want to see you performing all the time.”
Rudisha said his world record-setting gold medal run in London had been a different experience to that of Rio, where the Olympic Stadium was half-full at best.
“London was one of the special races, one of the greatest 800m ever run,” he said.
“But it was also special to defend my title, something that’s not been done since 1960 and 1964.”
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