17 Facts About Mbulaeni Mulaudzi

Mbulaeni Tongai Mulaudzi OIB was a South African middle-distance runner, and the 2009 world champion in the men's 800 metres.

Mbulaeni Mulaudzi's first global medal was a silver at the 2000 African Championships in Athletics.

Mbulaeni Mulaudzi later won a bronze at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics, which came a year after his victory at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

Mbulaeni Mulaudzi carried the flag for his native country at the opening ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympics, where he became an Olympic silver medallist.

Mbulaeni Mulaudzi ranked first on time in the 2006 and 2007 seasons, becoming the first Black South African to achieve such a feat.

Mbulaeni Mulaudzi's first senior international medal was a silver at the 2000 African Championships in Athletics.

Mbulaeni Mulaudzi competed at the 2001 World Championships in Athletics and finished sixth in his first global final.

Mbulaeni Mulaudzi won a bronze medal at the 2003 World Championships the following year, in addition to a silver medal from the 2003 All-Africa Games.

Mbulaeni Mulaudzi came to prominence in 2004, when he won at the World Indoor Championships and reached the podium at the 2004 Athens Olympics to win an Olympic silver medal.

Mbulaeni Mulaudzi was made South African Sportsman of the Year in recognition of this.

Mbulaeni Mulaudzi made the 800 m final at four consecutive World Athletics Championships, and won his first gold medal in the event in 2009.

Mbulaeni Mulaudzi set a lifetime best of 1:42.86 minutes later that year at the Rieti Meeting.

Mbulaeni Mulaudzi returned to competition in 2010 with a win at the Meeting Grand Prix IAAF de Dakar.

Mbulaeni Mulaudzi died in a car crash on 24 October 2014 at the age of 34.

Mbulaeni Mulaudzi was en route to an Athletics South Africa athletics meeting when his car overturned.

Presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj mirrored this, saying that the nation had lost a hero and that Mbulaeni Mulaudzi had flown the South African flag through his athletics.

Mbulaeni Mulaudzi was awarded the Order of Ikhamanga in bronze in 2015.