The 800m world record holder believes the spikes will inspire the next generation of runners to reach the pinnacle of their careers like he did.
World 800m record holder David Rudisha has donated the spikes with which he broke his first world record in to the World Athletics museum as a way of inspiring upcoming athletes.
On August 22, 2010, a 21-year-old Rudisha broke a 13-year-old world record of 1:41.11 previously held by Kenyan-born Dane Wilson Kipketer in Berlin, Germany.
Rudisha went to Berlin with the fastest time of the season. His request to his pacer Sammy Tangui was to take him through the first lap under 49 seconds.
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Tangui went lower, with 48.68. At the bell, Rudisha pushed on hard over the last lap and stopped the clock at 1:41.09. Rudisha excused himself from the press conference, to meditate on the race.
A week later, he lowered the world record again, this time at the World Challenge meeting in Rieti, Italy where he clocked 1:41.01.
Two years later on August 9, Rudisha put his name on the map when he broke the world record again at the London 2012 Olympics, setting a new mark of 1:40.91.
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That record still stands to date and will be under threat on Saturday night when the Paris Olympics 800m final takes place.
To mark the 12th anniversary of that record, Rudisha donated his spikes from his first world record in Berlin to the Museum of World Athletics on Friday.
“There have been only four world record-holders at the distance since 1975,” said World Athletics president Sebastian Coe.
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“David is one of them, and he's obviously the fastest of them all. So, I’m really grateful that we're able to celebrate his achievements in our museum.”
While handing over the signed white spikes, Rudisha revealed that he had kept them well and even his family did not know there whereabouts.
“I've donated my first world record spikes to the museum, and this is really something very special,” said Rudisha.
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“I have been keeping them safe, most of my family members have never seen them. We treasure it because it carries a lot of memories during our time when you are running.
“It really means a lot and to donate them here, I feel very honoured. I believe that this is going to inspire the younger generation and also to tell the story of our sport.”
Rudisha won two Olympics titles and as many World Championships gold medals but has not run since 2017.