Diamond League: Olympic champion Wanyonyi moves to second on world all-time 800m list

Emmanuel Wanyonyi (right) sprints to the finsih line in in Lausanne.[AFP]

Kenya's 20-year-old Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi delivered a standout performance at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Lausanne on Thursday, where he clocked a blistering 1:41.11 in the men's 800m.

This remarkable time catapulted Wanyonyi to joint second on the world all-time list, just 0.20 seconds shy of the world record of 1:40.91 set by his fellow Kenyan and role model, David Rudisha, at the London 2012 Olympics.

Wanyonyi’s stunning run not only set a new world-leading time for the year but also established a Diamond League record, further solidifying his status as one of the premier middle-distance runners in the world.

His time matched the former world record set by Denmark’s Wilson Kipketer in 1997, marking him as a true contender for breaking the long-standing world record.

The race in Lausanne was highly competitive, featuring four of the top five finishers from the Paris meet earlier this year.

Wanyonyi, undeterred by the strong field, stayed a couple of paces behind the pacemaker, who set a brisk early pace with a 400m split of 49.32 seconds, just slightly off the targeted 49.20 seconds.

As the race progressed, Wanyonyi held off a strong challenge from Canada's world champion Marco Arop, who finished second with a time of 1:41.72. France’s European champion Gabriel Tual took third in 1:42.30.

After the race, an elated Wanyonyi expressed his joy, saying, “I’m so happy to have run the world lead today in Lausanne. I really loved the crowd and I hope for the best in Silesia.” His words reflected the confidence and composure of a young athlete who has rapidly ascended to the top tier of global athletics.

The night in Lausanne was filled with thrilling athletic performances. Among the highlights was Jakob Ingebrigtsen's revenge victory over Cole Hocker in the 1500m, reversing the outcome of their previous encounter in Paris. In a surprising turn of events, Olympic champion Grant Holloway suffered a rare defeat in the 110m hurdles.

However, Olympic gold medallists Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Miltiadis Tentoglou, and Letsile Tebogo delivered commanding victories in the women's high jump, men's long jump, and men's 200m, respectively.

Wanyonyi’s performance in Lausanne not only underscored his growing dominance in the 800m but also set the stage for what could be an attempt to break Rudisha's hallowed world record. With his combination of youth, speed, and determination, Wanyonyi is a name to watch as the track season continues.