Olympic Champion David Rudisha Survives Plane Crash in Kenya with Minor Injuries



by FARUK IMAMOVIC

Olympic Champion David Rudisha Survives Plane Crash in Kenya with Minor Injuries
Olympic Champion David Rudisha Survives Plane Crash in Kenya with Minor Injuries

David Rudisha, the world-renowned Kenyan athlete and two-time Olympic champion in the 800-meter race, has survived a plane crash in his home country. According to Kenyan media reports, the incident occurred after the engine of the aircraft in which Rudisha was traveling with five other passengers failed.

The plane, which was flying from the Kimana wildlife reserve where Rudisha was attending the Maasai Olympics, crashed after the engine stopped working eight minutes into the flight. Rudisha described the harrowing experience to reporters, saying, “All was well close to seven or eight minutes into the flight when the engine of the plane suddenly went quiet,” Rudisha told the Daily Nation.

“[The pilot] saw some clear space where he tried to land the plane but one of its wings hit a tree as the plane started to spin before landing on the rocky field”.

Rudisha was lucky to escape with only minor injuries, including back pain.

David Rudisha, survived a plane crash, along with five other passengers.

Despite the incident, all of the passengers escaped with minor injuries. Speaking about the incident, Rudisha praised the pilot, saying "The pilot did an incredible job to keep the plane afloat and stable for long." This is not the first time that Rudisha has been involved in a vehicle accident, as in August 2019, he escaped unharmed after his SUV collided with a bus on a highway near Keroka.

"Thanking the Almighty God for the gift of life.Saturday night around 1030Hrs I survived a tragic road accident at Keroka on my way home to Kilgoris after a head on collision with a bus plying Kisii Nairobi Route. I am fine with no injuries!

Thank you ?? for your prayers." he wrote then.

It's fortunate that the plane was not at a high altitude, as the outcome could have been much worse.

Rudisha is a two-time Olympic champion in the 800-meter race and holds the world record in the event with a time of 1:40.91, which he set in 2012. The athlete has not competed internationally in five years.