Nairobi, April 8 (IANS) Olympic 800m champion David Rudisha will return to action during the Doha Diamond League meeting in Qatar May 9 and said he hoped to take part in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in July.
“I have returned to full training. My knee has fully healed and I am relishing the challenge at the Diamond League. I will return to Doha, hopefully to extend my winning record there,” Rudisha said, reports Xinhua.
The World Record holder is open to competing at the Commonwealth Games. It will be the first time for Rudisha to compete at the Club Games, after missing the 2010 Delhi Games.
“I hope to run in Glasgow at the Commonwealth Games. However, before that I am pleased to be back running in the Diamond League meetings,” said Rudisha.
Rudisha’s appearance in the Qatari capital, the seventh of his career, will signal the Kenyan’s eagerly anticipated comeback after a knee injury cut his 2013 season short after just two races, in Doha and Eugene, Oregon in the US.
Rudisha, who produced one of the finest moments in Olympic history with his spectacular 1:40.91 world record run in London, has been a familiar fixture in Doha since his first appearance in 2007.
That year, as a junior, he finished sixth, but returned the following year to claim his first victory in 1:44.36.
He was fourth in 2009 but bounced back with solid victories in 2010 and 2012, clocking 1:43.00 and 1:43.10 respectively, both early season world-leading marks.
“I am very happy to be going to Doha. It’s a meet that has always had good races and been a good start to my season,” Rudisha said. “This is a year without a major championship so I have time to progress and get back to my best.”