Rudisha no 400's/1500's & doubtful for Rome DL

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World record holder Rudisha fully focused on 800m only

Reuters Africa
Thu Apr 21, 2011

LONDON (Reuters) - Kenya's smooth-running 800 metres world record holder David Rudisha has ruled out competing in either the 400 or 1500 events in the near future.

"It is very hard to double, it's a little bit tricky. I don't think I can take a risk to double so I am really working towards the 800," the 22-year-old said in a conference call from his African home on Thursday.

Rudisha will attempt to land his first world title at the August 27-September 4 world championships in Daegu, South Korea while also competing in the $50 million elite Diamond League 14-event schedule that starts on May. 6 in Doha and ends in September.

Rudisha broke Wilson Kipketer's 13-year record by 0.02 seconds in Berlin last August before bettering that with 1:41:01 a week later in the Italian venue of Rieti.

The effortless manner in which Rudisha sweeps around the track has led to talk of him breaking the elusive 1 minute and 40 seconds barrier.

"I said that as a possibility but it's not that easy and this year there are other things to concentrate on, the world championships being the priority," he said.

"After that I will see if I can do one or two fast races."

There are two Diamond League meetings after the biennial world championships, in Zurich on September 8 and September 16 in Brussels.

"This year I think I'm a little bit behind in my training, but I think I'm going to do well in Doha," Rudisha said, adding he would also run in Rome on May 26 and in the non-Diamond League Ostrava meet on May 31.

"I think Rome is a good place for a fast time," he said.

So far this year Rudisha has run 1:43:88 to retain his Melbourne Track Classic title last month.

The 1.90-metre Kenyan has never run in London and preferred not to think about the 2012 Olympics where he could emulate his father's silver medal in the 4x400 relay at the 1968 Mexico City games.

"We'll see when the times comes, I can't talk about that now," he said.

http://www1.chinadaily.com.cn/xinhua/2011-05-20/content_2678430.html


Rudisha's injury may force him out of Rome Diamond meet

China Daily
20 May 2011

NAIROBI, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Just five days before the Rome Diamond League meeting, world 800m record holder David Rudisha faces a race against time to be fit after he suffered a recurrence of his injury.

Rudisha, who is in Eldoret, remains uncertain whether he will grace the competition.

Originally having planned to repeat the race plans he utilised last year, where he opened his season over 400m, Rudisha launched his season by running in his speciality distance in Melbourne and Sydney in Australia in march.

He returned home to continue with his training where he aggravated his ankle and was forced to pull out of the Doha Diamond league, the season opener on May 6.

His two lap race was not pencilled for Shanghai in China and the Africa champion had hoped to be fit for Rome leg, the third in a 14-tier completion for the elites in track and field.

But his training partner and pace maker Sammy Tangui, confirmed on Friday that Rudisha had not resumed training in their camp in Iten as he is going through the rehabilitation of his injury, which he said was still painful when he puts strain on it during sprinting.

"He has not returned to training. The coach gave him permission to train alone, but I know he is not back to his form. We will see how he does it, in some small competition on Saturday in Chepkoilel before we can confirm or withdraw his entry in Rome," said Tangui.

"He will be putting on the spikes for the first time and he is not ready to talk until he is assured of the reaction from his leg."

According to Rudisha's Manager, Australian James Templeton, the Kenyan's short term plans remain focused on recording a fast time over 800m.

Kenyan athletes competing in Rome are expected to leave on Monday for the Italian capital, with the prospects of improving their season best time or clinching the required qualification marks for the World Championship on their agenda.