NEW YORK, (Reuters) – David Rudisha was hailed as a super-runner after his world-record breaking victory in the 800 metres at last year’s London Olympics.
The Kenyan’s name was added to track and field’s A-list alongside Usain Bolt and Mo Farah. Suddenly, everyone wanted a piece of Rudisha.
Politicians wanted to be photographed with him, talk show hosts wanted to interview him and promoters were dreaming up ways to get him and Bolt to race each other.
For a fleeting moment, the notoriously shy and humble Rudisha lapped up the attention. Then, he disappeared from the limelight, retreating to his homeland.
Rudisha was feted as a hero there too. Cattle were slaughtered in his honour, a tradition for his Maasai tribe.
He became an instant celebrity to the next generation of Kenyan middle-distance runners, in the same way that he had been inspired by Wilson Kipketer.
Then it was back to work. The temptation to cash in on his fame was rejected. The lure of money and offers to fly around the world were turned down for a more noble goal.
“I just want to run,” Rudisha told reporters yesterday on the eve of the Adidas Grand Prix, the New York leg of track and field’s Diamond League series. “I want to run the perfect race.”
Many thought he ran the perfect race in London, when he won the 800 in one minute 40.91 seconds, becoming the first man to get under 1:41.00
