JOIN US"He explained his case to us and we feel he has done this country proud and he deserves a rest," Athletics Kenya secretary David Okeyo told Reuters.
The 21-year-old returned to his African home on Wednesday for the first time since breaking the record twice last month and explained his decision to his countrymen. "The Games are being held unusually late in the year when the focus has turned to next year's World Championships in South Korea," he told reporters at Nairobi's airport. "Moreover, I feel tired after a very busy season and I need some rest before resuming training."
Athletics Kenya named Abraham Kiplagat to replace him. Other Kenyan runners in the 800 metres will be Richard Kiplagat and Boaz Lalang.
Rudisha ran one minute 41.09 in Berlin on Aug. 22, shaving two hundredths of a second off Dane Wilson Kepketer's 1997 mark, and lowered it to one minute 41.01 a week later in Italy.
A Maasai from Kenya's Rift Valley, Rudisha's father Daniel was a member of the 4x400 Olympic silver-winning relay team in Mexico City in 1968.
Rudisha was met by a large crowd on arrival and went through a tribal ritual that elevated him to the status of young adult, a step up from the young warrior status he enjoyed before.