 Mulaudzi at the 2007 World Championships | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationality | South African | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1980-09-08)8 September 1980 Muduluni, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 24 October 2014(2014-10-24) (aged 34) eMalahleni, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Track | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event | 800 metres | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personalbest(s) | 800 metres: 1:42.86[1] 1500 metres: 3:38.5[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mbulaeni Tongai MulaudziOIB (8 September 1980 – 24 October 2014) was a South Africanmiddle-distance runner, and the 2009world champion in the men's800 metres.
His first global medal was a silver at the2000 African Championships in Athletics.[2] He later won a bronze at the2003 World Championships in Athletics, which came a year after his victory at the2002 Commonwealth Games. Mulaudzi was a gold medallist at the2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships and won two further silver medals at the competition in 2006 and 2008. He was a runner-up at continental level on three occasions, taking the 800 m silver at theAfrican Championships in Athletics in 2000 and at theAll-Africa Games in 2003 and 2007.[2] He carried the flag for his native country at the opening ceremony of the2004 Summer Olympics, where he became an Olympic silver medallist.
His personal best for the 800 m was 1:42.86 minutes. He ranked first on time in the 2006 and 2007 seasons, becoming the first Black South African to achieve such a feat.[3]
Born inMuduluni,Transvaal Province, he had his first success as a teenager at the1999 African Junior Athletics Championships, where he won the 800 m title.[4]
His first senior international medal was a silver at the2000 African Championships in Athletics. He competed at the2001 World Championships in Athletics and finished sixth in his first global final. At his firstCommonwealth Games, Mulaudzi was first past the finish line to become the2002 Commonwealth champion in the 800 m.[5] He won a bronze medal at the2003 World Championships the following year, in addition to a silver medal from the2003 All-Africa Games.[5]
He came to prominence in 2004, when he won at theWorld Indoor Championships and reached the podium at the2004 Athens Olympics to win anOlympic silver medal.[5] That year he was inducted into theUniversity of Pretoria Sport Hall of fame.[6]
In the 2006 season he ranked number one in the world for the season – South Africa's first black athlete to do so.[7] He was madeSouth African Sportsman of the Year in recognition of this.[8] At the2006 World Indoor Championships he won a silver medal, and he repeated the feat two years later at the2008 edition.[5] He represented South Africa at the2008 Beijing Olympics but was knocked out of the 800 m at the semi-final stage.[9]
He made the 800 m final at four consecutiveWorld Athletics Championships, and won his first gold medal in the event in2009. He set a lifetime best of 1:42.86 minutes later that year at theRieti Meeting.[10] He returned to competition in 2010 with a win at theMeeting Grand Prix IAAF de Dakar.[11]
Mulaudzi died in a car crash on 24 October 2014 at the age of 34.[12] He was en route to anAthletics South Africa athletics meeting when his car overturned.[13][14] His death was confirmed by his manager, Peet van Zyl, who said: "Mr Mulaudzi was surely one of the most decorated track athletes that South Africa has ever seen and unfortunately never had the recognition from the federation for all his achievements, so it is indeed a sad day."[15] ThePresident of South Africa,Jacob Zuma, noted his death, saying that he was one of the nation's most talented athletes. Presidential spokespersonMac Maharaj mirrored this, saying that the nation had lost a hero and that Mulaudzi had flown the South African flag through his athletics.[13] TheInternational Association of Athletics Federations, the governing body for the sport, said it was "deeply saddened" to hear of Mulaudzi's death.[16] TheInternational Olympic Committee expressed sadness and sympathy towards the sports family of South Africa and Mulaudzi's friends and family.[17] South African athletesCaster Semenya andKhotso Mokoena usedTwitter to express their emotions following Mulaudzi's death. Semenya said: "Just lost a brother, a friend very good friend! May your soul rest in peace Mbulayeni Mulaudzi! I love you man will always love you Champ!" and Mokoena said: "I've lost a brother, a friend, and a national hero! Sad news to my soul..."[18]
Mulaudzi was awarded theOrder of Ikhamanga in bronze (posthumously) in 2015.[19]
{{cite news}}:|last= has generic name (help)
| Olympic Games | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Flagbearer for South AfricaAthens 2004 | Succeeded by |
|
Commonwealth Games champions in men's800 metres | |
|---|---|
| 880 yards (1930–1966) | |
| 800 metres (1970–present) |
|
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
