Mbulaeni Mulaudzi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mbulaeni Mulaudzi

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(s)	800 metres
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	800 metres: 1:42.86 1500 metres: 3:38.5
Medal record Men's athletics Representing  South Africa Olympic Games Silver 2004 Athens 800 m World Championships Gold 2009 Berlin 800 m Bronze 2003 Paris 800 m IAAF World Indoor Championships Gold 2004 Budapest 800 m Silver 2006 Moskva 800 m Silver 2008 Valencia 800 m Commonwealth Games Gold 2002 Manchester 800 m African Championships Silver 2000 Algiers 800 m Bronze 2002 Rades 800 m All-Africa Games Silver 2003 Abuja 800 m Silver 2007 Algiers 800 m Representing Africa IAAF World Cup Bronze 2006 Athens 800 m

Mbulaeni Tongai Mulaudzi (born 8 September 1980 – died 24 October 2014) was a famous South African middle distance runner. He was best known for winning the world championship in the men's 800 metres in 2009.

Mbulaeni won his first big medal, a silver, at the 2000 African Championships in Athletics. He also earned a bronze medal at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics. This was a year after he won gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

He was a gold medallist at the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships. He also won two more silver medals at this competition in 2006 and 2008. Mbulaeni won silver three times at African events. These were the 800 m silver at the African Championships in 2000 and at the All-Africa Games in 2003 and 2007.

He proudly carried the flag for South Africa at the start of the 2004 Summer Olympics. At these Olympics, he won an Olympic silver medal. His fastest time for the 800 m was 1 minute and 42.86 seconds. He was ranked number one in the world for his time in 2006 and 2007. This made him the first Black South African to achieve this amazing feat.

Mbulaeni's Running Journey

Mbulaeni Mulaudzi was born in Muduluni, a place in South Africa. His first big win as a teenager was at the 1999 African Junior Athletics Championships. There, he won the 800 m title.

His first international medal as an adult was a silver. He won it at the 2000 African Championships in Athletics. He then competed at the 2001 World Championships in Athletics. He finished sixth in his first global final.

At his first Commonwealth Games, Mbulaeni was the fastest runner. He became the 2002 Commonwealth champion in the 800 m. The next year, he won a bronze medal at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics. He also earned a silver medal at the 2003 All-Africa Games.

Big Wins in 2004

Mbulaeni became very well known in 2004. He won gold at the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships. He also won an Olympic silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Because of his success, he was added to the University of Pretoria Sport Hall of Fame that year.

World Rankings and Awards

In 2006, Mbulaeni was ranked number one in the world for the season. This was a historic moment, as he was South Africa's first black athlete to achieve this. He was named South African Sportsman of the Year to celebrate this achievement.

He continued to win silver medals at the 2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships and again in 2008. He represented South Africa at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. He reached the semi-finals for the 800 m race.

Later Career Highlights

Mbulaeni reached the 800 m final at four World Championships in Athletics. He finally won his first gold medal in the event in 2009. Later that year, he ran his fastest 800 m race ever. This was at the Rieti Meeting, where he set his personal best time of 1 minute and 42.86 seconds. He returned to compete in 2010 and won at the Meeting Grand Prix IAAF de Dakar.

Remembering Mbulaeni Mulaudzi

Mbulaeni Mulaudzi sadly passed away in a car accident on 24 October 2014. He was 34 years old. He was on his way to an athletics meeting when the accident happened.

His manager, Peet van Zyl, shared how sad the news was. He said Mbulaeni was one of South Africa's most successful track athletes. The President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, also spoke about his death. He said that the nation had lost a very talented athlete.

Many people in the sports world shared their sadness. The International Association of Athletics Federations, which runs the sport, was "deeply saddened." The International Olympic Committee also sent their sympathy to his family and friends. South African athletes Caster Semenya and Khotso Mokoena shared their feelings online. Semenya called him "a brother, a friend" and "Champ." Mokoena said he had lost "a brother, a friend, and a national hero."

Personal Best Times

Here are Mbulaeni Mulaudzi's fastest times in different races:

• 800 metres – 1:42.86 minutes (set in 2009)
• 800 metres (indoors) – 1:44.91 minutes (set in 2008)
• 1000 metres – 2:15.86 minutes (set in 2007)
• 1500 metres – 3:38.55 minutes (set in 2008)

Awards and Recognition

In 2015, after his passing, Mbulaeni Mulaudzi was given the Order of Ikhamanga. This is a very special award in South Africa.

Competition Results

See also

In Spanish: Mbulaeni Mulaudzi para niños