A Trilogy of Explanations

As I was reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, my casual coasting along while reading was abruptly stopped when I read pages 364 and 365, where Rudy's denials of the final race and the medals are outlined. I, much like Leisel, was having a hard time fathoming why Rudy changed his stance on the races so quickly. After she is "handed the truth", she formulates three possible explanations for Rudy's behavior. As a reader, I did not vouch for any of Leisel's reasons because of the language used to present them. Words such as "perhaps" and statements such as "inner-teenage voice" hint at the childish ignorance of Leisel. Through subtle language, Zusak manages to propose three reasons for Rudy's behavior, but also manages to have the reader be wary of the explanations.

After dismissing Liesel's thoughts, I was failing to find the reason held in esteem by Rudy and understood by Max. What could possibly explain Rudy's rash decision to demean the race of any value? After a few more read-thrus, I felt as if one word kept striking back at me; "imitation". Besides giving me a strong visual of the medals, the one word clued me into Rudy's feelings on the race. When I considered "imitation" in context of the race, I realized how Rudy could feel no pride in his accomplishments in the race because of the people running and sponsoring the event. There is no value, no happiness to enjoy when the place where you achieved greatness is a place where Hitler is praised. In essence, the medals are imitations in more than one sense; they are cosmetically fake, but they also represent nothing remarkable as their origins are tainted by the horrors of Hitler and his followers who were ever-so-present at the race. Out of lack for respect for the ideologies associated with the event, Rudy loses respect for what he accomplished and won at the race. 

Do you believe that Rudy is trying to convey some other message different then the aforementioned one? What is your interpretation for why Rudy is inclined to step out of the final race and leave his medals behind to Leisel?