The long wait by world record-holder David Rudisha to return to competition is set to end at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Eugene on 31 May. The Olympic 800m champion is excited to be finally racing again, as his first start of 2014 will also mark his debut at the Prefontaine Classic.Given Rudisha’s penchant for fast paces, along with a field that includes four of the nine fastest men in history, the men’s 800m is one of the year’s most anticipated events.Rudisha has been dominating the world since he won gold at the 2006 IAAF World Junior Championships. The Kenyan has set three world records, including the current mark of 1:40.91, set when winning the Olympic title in London.The 25-year-old missed most of 2013 with a knee injury, diagnosed just a day before he was scheduled to run last year’s Pre Classic. In Rudisha’s absence, Mohamed Aman of Ethiopia took full advantage, winning the world title in Moscow and his second IAAF Diamond Trophy.Still only 20 years old, Aman is also the only man to ever beat Rudisha since 2010, and he’s done it twice, although Rudisha owns the career head-to-head edge, 5-2. Aman, who won in Eugene last year, successfully defended his 800m title earlier in 2014 at the IAAF World Indoor Championships. This will be Aman’s first race against Rudisha since May 2013.Botswana’s Nijel Amos, also still only 20, was closest to Rudisha at the London Olympics, taking silver as an 18-year-old. His 1:41.73 in that race not only shattered the world junior record, it also made him the fifth runner ever to break 1:42. That was the only career meeting between the two.Nobody has more wins over Rudisha than 24-year-old Abukaker Kaki of Sudan. He has five, but none since 2009. Kaki is a three-time winner at the Pre Classic, taking the 1000m in 2010 and the 800m in 2011 (1:43.68), both with meeting records, then edging Aman by 0.03 in a thrilling finish in 2012. The slowest PB among those four is 1:42.37, which is faster than the 29-year-old US record of 1:42.60 set by Johnny Gray in 1985. The second-fastest US runner ever is Duane Solomon, fourth in that epic 2012 Olympic final with 1:42.82. Now 29, he is undefeated in seven races so far this year, indoors and out, and holds the current world-leading mark at 1:43.88.Fellow US runner Brandon Johnson also enjoyed his best season last year. Also 29, he clocked 1:43.84 in only his second serious year in the 800m, having previously concentrated on the 400m hurdles. Like Rudisha, Johnson will be making his Prefontaine Classic debut.The two medallists behind Aman at the World Indoor Championships are included. Silver medallist Adam Kszczot of Poland earned silver ahead of Great Britain’s Andrew Osagie. The latter is one of six men in this field who also featured in the London Olympic 800m final.Also in the field is France’s World Championships finalist Pierre-Ambroise Bosse, who last year won the European under-23 title.Seven-time US champion Nick Symmonds had hoped to compete in this year's race but has had to withdraw with a knee injury.Organisers for the IAAF2014 IAAF Diamond League calendarDoha, QAT – 9 May Shanghai, CHN – 18 May Eugene, USA – 31 May Rome, ITA – 5 Jun Oslo, NOR – 11 Jun New York, USA – 14 Jun Lausanne, SUI – 3 Jul Paris, FRA – 5 Jul Glasgow, GBR – 11-12 Jul Monaco, MON – 18 Jul Stockholm, SWE – 21 Aug Birmingham, GBR – 24 Aug Zurich, SUI – 28 Aug Brussels, BEL – 5 Sep

The long wait by world record-holder David Rudisha to return to competition is set to end at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Eugene on 31 May. The Olympic 800m champion is excited to be finally racing again, as his first start of 2014 will also mark his debut at the Prefontaine Classic.

World awaits Rudisha's return in Eugene – IAAF Diamond League

Injury kept Abubaker Kaki out of action for almost all of 2013, but the two-time world indoor champion from Sudan will face a stern test when he races two-time European indoor champion Adam Kszczot on 9 February at the Flanders Indoor meeting in Gent, an IAAF Indoor Permit meeting.What makes their 800m duel all the more exciting is that both athletes excel indoors. Kaki went undefeated on the boards in 2008, 2010 and 2011, while Kszczot owns the third-fastest time ever for 800m indoors.Kaki has competed at the Flanders Indoor meeting once before, winning the 1000m in 2008. Two weeks later, he became the youngest ever winner of the world indoor 800m title, setting an African junior indoor record of 1:44.81.The 24-year-old has been competing against Kszczot since their junior days. When Kaki won the 2008 world junior title, Kszczot just missed out on a medal in fourth. Kaki also triumphed at the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships, where Kszczot took bronze.But in Kaki’s last race to date, at the 2013 XL Galan, Kszczot got the upper hand as he finished second with Kaki crossing the line four seconds later.Also in the field are two Belgian rising middle-distance talents, Jan Van Den Broeck and Pierre-Antoine Balhan. Van Den Broeck finished fifth at the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships, while 21-year-old Balhan is twice a national 800m champion. Coincidentally, both athletes have set their indoor 800m PBs on the Gent track.Organisers and Jon Mulkeen for the IAAF

Abubaker Kaki will face a stern test when he races Adam Kszczot on 9 February at the Flanders Indoor meeting in Gent, an IAAF Indoor Permit meeting.

Kaki to face Kszczot at Flanders Indoor in Gent

Injury kept Abubaker Kaki out of action for almost all of 2013, but the two-time world indoor champion from Sudan will face a stern test when he races two-time European indoor champion Adam Kszczot on 9 February at the Flanders Indoor meeting in Gent, an IAAF Indoor Permit meeting.

<div>Daegu, Korea - Athletics history is full of great rivalries. Even within just the middle-distance events, the pairings of Hagg vs Anderson, Coe vs Ovett, and Aouita vs Cram have been etched on the memories of athletics fans for decades. Now the men’s 800m has David Rudisha and Abubaker Kaki, whose five-year friendly rivalry reached a climax tonight in Daegu with their tenth meeting in a final. Making their on-going battle more exciting, Rudisha’s victory in 1:43.91 brought their head-to-head tally to five a piece. Afterwards, Rudisha admitted that the main reason why he trains so hard is to stay ahead of his great Sudanese opponent. “Abubaker and I started racing together back when I was still running 400 metres and I got near him there,” he said. “Then we were together at the 2006 World Juniors in Beijing and we had a great race together. Also on the European circuit we have been competing together and I respect him because he is so, so tough. “He has also been the reason why when I go back home I have to train hard because if I don’t then I know he is going to give me a challenge,” added Rudisha. “That’s very important because athletics is a competition and I respect him for being there. Rudisha won the first of their 800m clashes, which just so happened to be the 2006 World Junior Championships. But for three years after then, Kaki got the verdict over Rudisha for three straight years. It was only in 2010 when Rudisha was in the form of his life that he returned to winning ways over the two-time World Indoor Champion, with perhaps their most memorable clash coming at the Bislett Games last summer. Rudisha won on that occasion in 1:42.04, breaking Seb Coe’s meeting record, as Kaki was a close second in 1:42.23. Ever since Rudisha’s 24-meet winning streak began, that remains the closest anyone has finished to him. “All the time when we’re together we have a great race, pushing each other, which is also good for the fans because they like it when we race together. It’s good for us both to come here and win gold and silver, it was a good show and it was very exciting.” It is a rivalry which both athletes – as well as thousands of fans – will hope to see last for many years to come. But Rudisha is all too aware of the challenge of having longevity in the sport. “Having a long career depends on a combination of a lot of things – how you take care of yourself, determination, focus,” he said. “You can’t predict what might happen tomorrow – there are injuries, barriers, other people coming in. Every year there are challenges. But it is our dream and our aim to see that we maintain our form for a long time.” For Rudisha, that form just so happens to be world-beating form, and he plans to use his last few races of the year in which to attack his world record of 1:41.01. “After breaking the world record last year I don’t want it to stop there,” he said. “Maybe after here we’ll see if I can try to push my time to get under 1:41. “Last year I broke the two world records and I didn’t have any titles with me, but today I’m very happy,” added Rudisha, who adds the World title to the African title he won last year. “I know that this is going to boost my profile, but I’m still aiming for the Olympics next year and when I go back that is my focus to make sure I win the three titles in a row to make my career complete.” No prizes for guessing which athlete will most likely be there in London next year, pushing Rudisha all the way. - Competition history between Rudisha and Kaki -2006 World Junior Championships, Beijing – 1 Rudisha 1:47.40, 6 Kaki 1:48.462007 Super Grand Prix, Doha – 4 Kaki 1:45.42, 6 Rudisha 1:45.632008 Bislett Games, Oslo – 1 Kaki 1:45.69, 2 Rudisha 1:43.722008 Golden Spike, Ostrava – 1 Kaki 1:43.80, 2 Rudisha 1:44.472009 Super Grand Prix, Doha – 1 Kaki 1:43.09, 4 Rudisha 1:44.782009 FBK Games, Hengelo – 1 Kaki 1:43.10, 3 Rudisha 1:43.532010 Bislett Games, Oslo – 1 Rudisha 1:42.04, 2 Kaki 1:42.232010 Van Damme Memorial, Brussels – 1 Rudisha 1:43.50, 2 Kaki 1:43.842011 Diamond League, London – 1 Rudisha 1:42.91, 2 Kaki 1:43.132011 World Championships, Daegu – 1 Rudisha 1:43.91, 2 Kaki 1:44.41 Jon Mulkeen for the IAAF </div>

Athletics history is full of great rivalries. Even within just the middle-distance events, the pairings of Hagg vs Anderson, Coe vs Ovett, and Aouita vs Cram have been etched on the memories of athletics fans for decades.

World awaits Rudisha's return in Eugene – IAAF Diamond League

Kaki to face Kszczot at Flanders Indoor in Gent

Rivalry with Kaki inspires Rudisha to be the best