David Rudisha's record of 1:40.91 has stood since 2012 when he set it at the London Olympic Games and he remains unsure if it will be broken soon.
World 800m record holder David Rudisha remains unsure on who could break his record that has lasted more than a decade.
Rudisha became the first athlete to set a new world record on the track at London 2012 as he won gold in his specialty. The then 23-year-old Kenyan stormed to victory in his debut Olympic final to become the first man inside one minute 41 seconds, clocking 1:40.91.
15:45 - 23.10.2024
'Keeps me hungry'- Marco Arop reveals major setback that is fuelling his revenge against Emmanuel Wanyonyi in 2025
Marco Arop is eager for a comeback after settling for silver at the Paris Olympics as he looks to put an end to Emmanuel Wanyonyi's winning streak and also shatter David Rudisha's world record.
Few athletics disciplines have produced as many historic marks in a single season as the men's 800m in 2024. The stunning year of speed has prompted questions on how many other faster times that might be witnessed in 2025, when the season ends at the World Championships in Tokyo.
Rudisha, whose world record has stood since 2012, is watching with interest. “It tells you that it’s also a very tight world record,” Rudisha told World Athletics, adding that it is not an impossible one to break, perhaps after so many athletes ran so fast in 2024. "I can’t predict that one," Rudisha said when quizzed on who could break his record. "It is hard to say but these guys are in good form. Let’s see how they are going to progress. This is the year they have shown that they can really push themselves to the limit.”
21:30 - 24.08.2024
David Rudisha’s 800m world record at risk as Wanyonyi, Arop face off at Diamond League Silesia
World record could be threatened as Emmanuel Wanyonyi faces strong contenders at the Silesia Diamond League's 800m event.
This year, the men’s 800m all-time list was stunningly and repeatedly rewritten by a new wave of challengers, led by Emmanuel Wanyonyi. The 20-year-old Kenyan won the Paris Olympic gold medal in 1:41.19, edging Canada’s Marco Arop by just 0.01, on August 10. And just 12 days later, Wanyonyi lowered his PB again to 1:41.11, tying with Wilson Kipketer for second all time – just 0.2 off Rudisha’s mark.
Rudisha noted that in the 43 years since World Athletics President Sebastian Coe ran a then world record 1:41.73 in Florence, the world record has been lowered by less than a minute.