David Lekuta Rudisha, MBS (born 17 December 1988)[3] is a retired Kenyan middle-distance runner who is the world and Olympic record holder in the 800 metres.

Rudisha won gold medals in the 800 m at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympic Games, where, at the former, he set the world record in the event with a time of 1:40.91.

[6] Born on 17 December 1988 in Kilgoris, Narok County, Rudisha went to Kimuron Secondary School in Iten, Keiyo District.

In April 2005, whilst under Brother Colm's tutelage, Japheth Kimutai, who was trained by Colm, recommended Rudisha to James Templeton, and Rudisha joined the group of runners managed by Templeton, which has at various time included Kimutai, Bernard Lagat and Augustine Choge.

[10] On 10 July, Rudisha ran the 800 m in 1:41.51 at the KBC Night of Athletics in Heusden, Belgium; this new personal record placed him No.

[12] Rudisha claimed his first senior global title at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics held in Daegu, South Korea, winning the 800 m event with a time of 1:43.91.

[3] With a time of 1:41.74, Rudisha set the United States all comers 800 m record at the 2012 adidas Grand Prix at Icahn Stadium in New York City.

[15] In his final race before the Olympics, he held off Asbel Kiprop for the win at the Paris Diamond League, in a new world lead of 1:41.54.

[16] On 9 August 2012 at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Rudisha led from start to finish to win gold in what was acclaimed "The Greatest 800 Meter Race Ever".

[17] In so doing, he became the first and, so far, only runner to break the 1:41 barrier for 800 m.[18] From the start of the final race, Rudisha led and pulled away from the rest of the field after 200 metres, completing the first lap in 49.28 seconds.

He continued to pull away until the final straight, where second place Nijel Amos was able to slightly gain some ground as Rudisha strained.

[23] The time set by the eighth-placed Andrew Osagie, a personal best of 1:43.77, would have won gold at the three preceding Olympic games in Beijing, Athens and Sydney.

'"[20] Afterwards, he admitted that it would go down as the greatest 800 m race personally for him as well because he won it in front of Sebastian Coe who held the record for more than 17 years.

[30] Rudisha was later given the Association of National Olympic Committees Award for Best Male Athlete of London 2012,[31] as well as receiving the honour of Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (MBS) from the government of Kenya.

A large gap was formed that proved too much for fast closing Taoufik Makhloufi of Algeria in the final homestretch.

[55][56][57][58][59] From 2007 until at least 2012, Rudisha trained in the summer months in the university town of Tübingen in southern Germany, a center for many up-and-coming runners from Kenya such as Bernard Lagat.

[8] His father, Daniel Rudisha, was a former runner who won the silver medal at the 1968 Olympics as part of the Kenyan 4 × 400 m relay team, while his mother Naomi is a former 400 m hurdler.