Rio Olympics 2016 | David Rudisha successfully defends his 800m title

David Rudisha defends his 800m title with stunning performance in Rio 

as Kenyan star secures gold

• The Kenyan controlled the race from the start and won with a time of 1:42.15, the fastest time since he set the world record in London

• Rudisha also won at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing

• American Clayton Murphy storms in late and came up bronze

• Clayton's bronze is the first 800m medal for an American since the 1976 Montreal Games

By Dailymail.com Reporter

David Rudisha of Kenya has won successfully defended his 800m title after winning gold at the Olympic stadium in Rio.

Rudisha held back until the final 300 meters when he sprinted down the final straight with a time of 1:42.15 - the fastest since his record-breaking run in London in 2012.

The 27-year-old Kenyan won so memorably in the 800m with a record-breaking run when he crossed the line in 1:40.91.

 David Rudisha  of Kenya runs to win gold, ahead of silver medallist Taoufik Makhloufi of Algeriain the men's 800m final

 David Rudisha ran the fastest time of the year 1:42.15 to retain his 800m Olympic title

 Rudisha did a lap of honor of the stadium in Rio after his convincing victory

Rudisha has subsequently gone on to win the 800m at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing.

After struggling with injuries in recent years, Monday nights win proves that he has returned to the phenomenal shape he was in during the London Games four years ago.

 21-year-old Clayton Murphy took the bronze, the first 800m medal for an American since the 1976 Montreal Games

 Rare success: Clayton Murphy celebrates after winning the bronze medal, the first medal for an American in the event since 1976

 David Rudisha of Kenya, silver medallist Taoufik Makhloufi  of Algeria and bronze medalist Clayton Murphy if the USA huge one another after their race

With the support of both his hometown and the Akron, Ohio community behind him, Murphy said his years of training have paid off.

'The University of Akron has been a part of the whirlwind experience, and it's been great,' Murphy said in a previous interview with WKYC

'From the training room to the guys on the team to Coach to all the support staff, I'm not sure at any other university, I'd have as much success as what I had here. Everything just fell into place, and my teammates and coach have been great. It's all been part of a big success.'

Clayton Murphy, a University of Akron Zip and native of New Paris, Ohio, earned the bronze medal in the men's 800m

 Rudisha tracks fellow Kenyan Alfred Kipketer during the early stages of the race 

 'The feeling in my body was good. It is the greatest moment of my career,' said Rudisha 

 The Kenyan, who broke the world record at London 2012, hit the front with 300m to go

 Algeria's Taoufik Makhloufi took silver (left), with Clayton Murphy (centre) getting bronze