10 DAYS TO GO
David Lekuta Rudisha, MBS is a Kenyan middle-distance runner who was born on December 17, 1988. He is the Olympic winner in the 800 meters in 2012 and 2016, as well as two-time World Champion (2011 and 2015) and world record holder. He began his running career in Elgeyo Marakwet County's St. Francis Kimuron High School. Rudisha possesses the three quickest, six of the eight fastest, and half of the twenty fastest times ever ran in the 800m. With a time of 57.69 in the 500 meters and a time of 1:13.10 in the 600 meters, he also owns the world and African records. Rudisha has won three straight Track & Field Athlete of the Year honors (tied with Carl Lewis), as well as the 2010 IAAF World Athlete of the Year title. Rudisha was born in Kilgoris, Narok County, on December 17, 1988, and attended Kimuron Secondary School in Iten, Keiyo District. Rudisha was suggested to James Templeton by Japheth Kimutai, who was trained by Colm, in April 2005, and Rudisha joined Templeton's group of runners. He was originally a 400-meter runner, but his coach, Irishman Colm O'Connell, persuaded him to try the 800-meter run. He won the world junior title at that distance in 2006. Rudisha won the IAAF Grand Prix meeting in September 2009, setting a new African record of 1:42.01, breaking Sammy Koskei's 25-year-old mark of 1:42.28. With that performance, he moved up to fourth place on the all-time list. He competed against Abubaker Kaki in the 2010 IAAF Diamond League in the Bislett Games in June. With a time of 1:42.04, he broke Sebastian Coe's 31-year-old meet record.
Rudisha broke Wilson Kipketer's 800 m World Record with a time of 1:41.09 while competing in the ISTAF meeting in Berlin on August 22, 2010, two days before the record's anniversary. He smashed the record again at the Rieti Diamond League Meeting a week later, lowering it to 1:41.01. He became the youngest athlete to win the IAAF World Athlete of the Year award in November 2010, at the age of 21. He was also named Kenyan Sportsman of the Year. Rudisha set the American all-comers 800 m record with a run of 1:41.74 at the 2012 adidas Grand Prix at Icahn Stadium in New York City. With a triumph at the Kenyan trials, he ensured his spot on the Kenyan Olympic team for the first time, with a time of 1:42.12 minutes, the quickest time ever recorded at altitude. Rudisha currently owns the world record for the 800 m with a time of 1:40.91, which he set on August 9, 2012, at the London 2012 Olympics. In the 800m, he holds the top three fastest times and six of the top eight quickest times. Rudisha is a Maasai ethnic group member from Kenya. His father, Daniel Rudisha, was a former runner who competed in the 1968 Olympics for Kenya in the 4 x 400 m relay and earned a silver medal, while his mother, Naomi Rudisha, was a former 400 m hurdler. He has two daughters with his wife, Lizzy Naanyu (as of 2015). "He is the best 800m runner of all time and he may well be the nicest man in his sport," stated Tom Fordyce of the BBC. He is a fan of Arsenal F.C., a football team.
Sally Barsosio is a Kenyan distance runner who was born on March 21, 1978 in the Keiyo District. At 14 years and 182 days, Barsosio is the youngest ever medalist in the World Junior Championships in Athletics. After being disqualified for obstructing fellow runners, the most notable of these was Elana Meyer, who abruptly withdrew out of the race, she earned the bronze medal in the 10,000 meters at the 1993 World Championships in Athletics at the age of 15 years 153 days. This made her the youngest individual to ever win a medal at the World Athletics Championships. In 1994, she was the first woman to win the Cross Internacional de Soria. Sally competed in the world championships twice more, finishing 11th in 1995 and winning the 10,000m gold medal in 1997, becoming the first Kenyan woman to win a senior track title. She became the youngest ever champion of the 10,000 m, in addition to being the youngest medalist. Ricky Simms is her coach and she trains with PACE Sports Management. Florence and Chepkemoi Barsosio, as well as her relative Susan Sirma, are also Kenyan runners.