By Omulo Okoth
Newly-crowned Olympic Games 800m champion David Rudisha has urged for calm with regards to the performance by Kenyans at this Olympics.
"I know Kenyans had a lot of hope in men's 1,500m just like the 800m. But Asbel KIprop, who was to defend his title here, got injured in the final week of training which affected him. In sports, as in life, anything can happen and I want Kenyans to understand that," he said.
"We still have some races where we are likely to perform very well like women's and men's 5,000m, the women's 800m and men's marathon. We still have a chance to salvage the situation," he said during the press conference that followed his world record (1:40.91) breaking gold medal, the first at this Olympics and the first by a Kenyan, inside the Olympic Park Stadium on Thursday.
Rudisha is the overall team captain of Kenya here. Kiprop, who had run the season's fastest time (1:48) finished last in the men's 1,500m race on Tuesday, while Silas Kiplagat, whose 1:49 was the second fastest this season, and Nixon Chepseba missed the medal bracket by far.
Kiprop and KIplagat left for home immediately, leaving Team Kenya here deeply embarrassed and wounded.
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