David Rudisha winning the 600m at the 2014 IAAF Diamond League meeting in Birmingham (© Jean-Pierre Durand)
On the day that tickets for the Sainsbury’s Birmingham Grand Prix have gone on general sale, Olympic 800m champion and world record-holder David Rudisha has confirmed that he will compete at the IAAF Diamond League meeting on 7 June.
Rudisha created one of the defining moments of the London 2012 Olympics as he won the 800m in incredible fashion, leading from the front and setting a world record of 1:40.91, and the Kenyan is relishing the chance to rediscover similar form when he returns to British soil in June.
“I love competing in the UK and I can’t wait to line up at the Sainsbury’s Birmingham Grand Prix,” he said. “I have good memories of winning over 600m in Birmingham last summer and of course setting the world record at the London 2012 Olympics. Hopefully I can repeat that sort of form against what I’m sure will be a very strong field in June.”
The 26-year-old’s only previous competition in Birmingham came at the same meeting last year, where he won the 600m by nearly a second in 1:13.71 – the fourth-fastest time ever over the distance.
Rudisha won the world title in 2011 and is expecting the Sainsbury’s Birmingham Grand Prix to be an important test ahead of his attempt to regain that title in Beijing in August.
“I’m very keen to return again to the World Championships this summer and the race in Birmingham will be an important part of my preparation for Beijing,” he said.
Following a sell-out event in 2014, British Athletics major events director Cherry Alexander urges fans to purchase tickets quickly to ensure that they will have the chance to watch this year’s event at the Alexander Stadium.
“This will be the first major international athletics meeting of the outdoor season in the UK,” she said. “Some of the best athletes in the world such as Olympic champion David Rudisha and a number of our British stars will be competing, so I’d urge athletics fans to get to the British Athletics website and secure their tickets now. Don’t miss out!”
Organisers for the IAAF
2015 IAAF Diamond League calendar
Doha, QAT – 15 May
Shanghai, CHN – 17 May
Eugene, USA – 30 May
Rome, ITA – 4 June
Birmingham, GBR – 7 June
Oslo, NOR – 11 June
New York, USA – 13 June
Paris, FRA – 4 July
Lausanne, SUI – 9 July
Monaco, MON – 17 July
London, GBR – 24-25 July
Stockholm, SWE – 30 July
Zurich, SUI – 3 September
Brussels, BEL – 11 September
