David Rudisha, the World Record holder over 800m has been named as one of three ambassadors for this month’s World Championships set to be staged in Budapest.
Rudisha has been named alongside Daley Thompson and former high jump queen Blanka Vlasic as ambassadors of the 19th edition of the global showpiece in Hungary.
The ambassadors will be joined by several other legends who will be in Budapest through various roles including team leaders, coaches, broadcasters and reporters.
For Rudisha, becoming an ambassador for the event in Budapest is an opportunity to return to the stage on which he claimed two of his four global gold medals in the 800m.
In 2009 the Kenyan missed out on the World Championships final in Berlin but in 2010 he set two of his three world records and he carried that momentum through to Daegu 12 months later.
With a commanding performance he took the world title in 1:43.91 and regained it in Beijing four years later, returning to the top after two injury-ridden years.
That second world crown came after another world record run to gain Olympic gold in London, and he would retain the title in Rio.
“I am deeply honoured to be appointed as an ambassador for the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 by World Athletics,” he said.
“Congratulations to all the athletes who have made it to the World Championships this year. I take this opportunity to wish everyone a successful competition and I ask all the fans and athletes to uphold the spirit of sportsmanship during the event.”
Thompson competed at the inaugural World Athletics Championships in Helsinki in 1983, the British decathlon great overcame injury to win with 8666 points, adding the world title to his Olympic, European and Commonwealth Games triumphs.
The following year, the multiple world record-breaker retained his Olympic title in Los Angeles.
Croatia’s Vlasic is also a two-time world champion, her high jump wins clinched in Osaka in 2007 and Berlin in 2009. In 2007 she cleared 2.05m and two years later, 2.04m. On both occasions she did her trademark dance to celebrate, and went on to attempt a world record.
Vlasic’s 2009 victory was voted among the 40 greatest moments at the World Championships, as decided by fans, and there will be more in store when top-class action returns on 19 August.
