Rudisha eager to meet Sachin

A legend in his own field, Olympic champion and world record holder David Rudisha on Friday expressed a desire to meet Sachin Tendulkar in person and also spoke about a possible duel with Jamaican sprint king Usain Bolt.

‘I would like to meet Sachin Tendulkar one day. I have seen him batting on TV. He bats really well. It would be a privilege to meet him. I follow cricket whenever I get time from my busy schedule,’ Rudisha said.

‘Many people are talking about a possible race against Bolt but let’s see. He is a very fast sprinter. I think there is a 50-50 chance if we compete against each other. He is quick in 100 and 200 metres and is really unmatchable. But over the distance I hold the edge,’ said Rudisha.

Rudisha said if he starts preparing for sprint, he might beat Bolt someday. ‘If I prepare for more speed who knows I may be capable of beating him [Bolt]. You know he is a great sprinter. A meeting was in the offing between me and Bolt in the 4x400 metres relay at London 2012 but the dream remained unfulfilled because both the countries failed to make the final,’ he said.

‘We had spoken in the warm-up area before our races and discussed that we could not make the final. So, the showdown did not happen. In future, may be, you will see Bolt vs Rudisha for some showpiece event or unofficial race. I would be happy, it could be for fun,’ he added. Rudisha described Bolt as a great athlete and a good friend.