TOKYO, Japan, Aug 4 – After storming to his first Olympic gold, Emmanuel Korir was lost for words when world record holder David Rudisha called him live on phone while giving journalists interview at the Tokyo Games mixed zone to congratulate him.
Rudisha said he was happy to see the title that he won back in 2016 at the Rio Olympic Games remain in Kenya.
This is how the telephone conversation went;
Rudisha: Hello… Hello..
Korir: How are you?
Rudisha: I am very fine, congratulations!
Korir: Thank You
Rudisha: That was impressive, you ran a smart race
Korir: Thank you.
Rudisha: How do you feel being the Olympic champion?
Korir: I am happy, I don’t know what to say, I am just waiting for the celebrations.
Rudisha: You are feeling the weight now… haha haha
Korir: hahahah (Laughs)
Rudisha: But that was good, that was good, you guy did fantastic
Korir: Thank you.
Rudisha: Al the best and enjoy your moment.
Korir: Thank you, bye bye.
Rudisha: Asante.
Korir: Okay see you back home
Rudisha: See you when you come back
Korir: Okay, bye bye
After the call that caught the attention of some of the foreign journalists, one of them asked, what do you think about that?
Korir, who is based in the USA was lost for words saying, “Oohh! Haha! Haha! anyway I am so happy I have nothing to add.”
Since the 2008 Beijing Olympics when Wilfred Bungei won it, Kenya has never lost the race with Rudisha winning back-to-back in 20012 and 2016.
“We used to train with Rudisha when I was in High School, I was still young and I never knew that one day I am going to run in the 800m, so it has happened and I am very proud of myself,” Korir, who is trained by Paul Ereng, the first Kenyan to win gold in the race way in 1988 Seoul Olympics said.
-Alex Isaboke is reporting from the Olympics Stadium in Tokyo, Japan-
