Note:
If you are keen and have queries, please contact Coach Rameshon at 9100 4369 or you can email him at m.rameshon@gmail.com or swift.rameshon@gmail.com. Please refer to website http://flexifitness.com.sg (for more information on him and his programmes)
By Rameshon
Bsc (Hons) Degree in Physical Education, Loughborough University (1992-1994)
Masters in Education (University of Western Australia, 2005-2008)
Ten things you never knew about David Rudisha
Picture 1 - 800m greats (left to right) Juantorena, Sebastian Coe, Wilson Kipketer and David Rudisha.
Last year, David Rudisha trimmed 0.02 seconds from Wilson Kipketer’s world 800m record with a stunning 1:41.09, clocking in Berlin, before breaking the world record again with a time of 1min 41.01sec at Rieti Grand Prix, in Italy. Both feats were all done within a week. Having said that, I was thinking of getting from a source something that would enable people to know more about this gentleman who is a great sportsman who has honoured past world record holders. He has a character which is imbued with valour and courage. Hence, I thought to put it in this blog for the fans of David Rudisha. Hence, I found that there are ten things we, perhaps, would not have known about the fine 21-year-old Kenyan. It is interesting to note all these 10 things.
Picture 2- David Rudisha (Left) - World Athlete of the Year 2010
1. He shares the same agent, Australian James Templeton, as World Indoor 3000m champion Bernard Lagat.
Picture 3 - World Record Broken in Berlin 2010
Picture 4 - World Record Broken again a few days later in Italy
2. His hero was two-time world 800m champion Billy Konchellah of Kenya. He said of Konchellah: “I have met Billy many times, and of course he is a huge inspiration to me.” Rudisha was born just 10km from Konchellah’s home.
3. David Rudisha’s father, David, won an Olympic silver medal in the 4x400m at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games, who become a huge inspiration. “I realised I could run after finding out my dad used to run and it gave me the morale that if I did it then maybe I could also run.” His mother, Tamisha, is a popular Kenyan folk singer.
4. His is the sixth born of seven children and he spends his time away from the track farming and herding cattle.
5. He is coached by Irishman Colm O'Connell a member of the brothers of St Patrick’s Catholic order. O’Connell started out as an assistant coach at the world-renowned St Patrick’s High School for Boys in Iten, which has produced a host of top international including 1988 Olympic 1500m champion Peter Rono and the now-former world 800m record holder Wilson Kipketer.
6. Rudisha stands at 6ft 3ins tall and is one of the world’s tallest 800m runners.
7. His first major international success came when winning 800m gold at the 2006 IAAF World Junior Championships in Beijing, where he earned the nickname “Pride of Africa” (which is the same motto as Kenya Airways, the national air carrier).
8. He started out in athletics in 2004 as a 400m runner and decathlete. He said in and earlier interview: ‘This is common in Kenya – the athletes who are not distance runners often do decathlon. But the pole vault is not so easy.”
9. His training partners include Commonwealth 5000m champion Augustine Choge and 12:48 5000m runner Isaac Songok.
10. He is a member of the Maasai tribe famed for their bravery and steel.
Note:
By Narayanan
Rameshon has taught in Hwa Chong Institution, plus several schools, and Republic Polytechnic as well. He has won many accolades and he was awarded Merit Award for 1991 marathon performance in breaking the national record of Singapore, at that time. He has made 22 male athletes do a marathon in sub-3hrs. He has made 7 female runners do sub-4 hours for the marathon, as well. He was inducted to the ‘Roll of Honour’ by the then College of Physical Education, organised by Singapore Olympic Academy, in 1998, for breaking the National record repeatedly 4 times, till he did 2hr 24min 22sec).
He also has a Coaching group and he trains them on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7pm at Botanic Gardens. Those interested can call him at 91004369 for coaching assistance, to improve performance. There is also personal training that he does for many in a week. You can e-mail him at swift.rameshon@gmail.com.
