For 52 years the world waited and when the king of 800m stepped on the track in Rio he knew something special was in the offing, was on the brink of writing history.

There was no need for a second invitation as David Rudisha seized the moment to cement his name as a true legend. Anything else he does from now will be a bonus.

He is the double Africa, double world and now double Olympic champion. Rudisha also holds the world record at 1:40.91 and has run the six of the eight fastest times in the distance.

"I am truly humbled. I am honoured. Lots of appreciation. Thank you very much guys. I am really excited. I am super happy to defend 800m title, thank everyone for your support," said Rudisha after his win early Tuesday.

Indeed 48 years since his father Daniel Rudisha won silver for Kenya at the Mexico Olympics in 1968, David has seen his fame rise and now he has completed his legacy as the greatest ever 800m runner of his generation.

Emerging from a difficult time with the knee injury he suffered after 2012, which saw him miss out to defend his world title at the Moscow World Championships in 2013, requiring a serious knee operation Rudisha has been running for less than two years.

Yet his victory was not preordained if his performance coming to the Rio Olympics was anything to go by.

Rudisha' s critics can now look away as he has gone through the complete cycle from his lowest moment, when he finished last at the Diamond League meeting in 2013 on return from injury to an Olympic gold medalist in Rio.

"I dedicate this win to all my fans all over the world and above all to my country - Kenya. To all those who woke up at 4:00 am to watch the race and for all your steadfast support throughout the years," said Rudisha.

Nobody can that aura of invincibility that Rudisha himself knowing that it is one thing to promise and the other thing to deliver under pressure.

Rudisha, 27, has now cast his eyes on Tokyo 2020. But that can wait. He eclipses his predecessors Paul Ereng (1988), William Tanui (2002) and Wilfred Bungei (2008) who won gold for Kenya at the Olympic Games. Endit

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