Rudisha for 1,000m debut in Ostrava

The world record holder and IAAF 2010 World Athlete of the Year, Kenya’s David Rudisha, will make his 1,000 metres debut at the 50th Ostrava Golden Spike Meeting on May 31, organisers have announced.

It will be his fourth appearance in the Czech city after he finished second in 2008 and won in 2009 and 2010 in his 800m speciality. The event itself will also be staged for first time.

“I’m very happy to be running again in Ostrava. It is a good meeting; of course one of my favourites,” Rudisha said in a statement for the organisers. “This year it’s exciting for me to be running a new distance; my first time to try 1,000 metres.

“I understand why people might ask me about the world record but really I can’t talk of this yet....

“I aim to run a strong race and to run well but I think it is not realistic to think of world record for my first attempt at the distance.

“Maybe in the future I can come back to do this in Ostrava.”

After two races in Australia (1:43.88 and 1:44:80) he plans two competitions before Ostrava. In Doha and in Rome, Rudisha will check his 800m shape.

READ ON...