NAIROBI, August 25- After quashing the competition in a tactical master class to return to the throne of world 800m running on Tuesday, even better news awaits record holder David Rudisha with the impending birth of his second child with wife Lizzy Naanyu.
It will be quite a week of celebration in the Rudisha household as he prepares to welcome the sibling to his first born daughter, Charlene, born January 31, 2010 with his high school sweetheart whom he wed in a private ceremony at the back end of that year.
“My wife was due today (Tuesday) but I have spoken with her short while ago and I’m anxiously waiting for the good news. We are crossing fingers and this will be a special week for me,” the Olympics champion told reporters after putting together a 1:45.84 at the Beijing Bird’s Nest to win back the crown he last bagged four years ago in South Korea.
Much of the gloss from another landmark victory for Rudisha, who equals fellow Maasai legend, Billy Kochellah as a two-time world 800m champion will be taken by the absence of deposed titleholder, Mohammed Aman of Ethiopia and the Olympics silver medallist, Nijel Amos of Botswana.
The pair seemed to have found the number to the front running powerhouse ahead of Beijing, with Amos beating him five times in a row in the lead up to the biennial IAAF global showpiece.
“It was unfortunate they did not qualify because I was ready to race with them in the finals. I have improved my kick and can face anybody,” the two-time African champion who won the world junior gold medal in Beijing nine years ago asserted.
It was his new found controlled running that delivered the knockout blow to Amos during the semis when he slowed down the pace from the start in a scheme the Botswana commonwealth champion could not respond to as he crashed out of competition after finishing third in the slow affair.
Aman contrived to get himself disqualified from the first semi after pushing a Dutch runner from the back in the first semi.