Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi Sets New Personal Best in Lausanne, Eyes Silesia Diamond League Challenge

Emmanuel Wanyonyi sets a new personal best just two weeks after claiming Olympic gold, cruising to victory in the Lausanne Diamond League classic.

Emmanuel Wanyonyi is inching closer to matching David Rudisha’s record, as he coasted to victory in the 800m at the Lausanne Diamond League classic on Thursday night.

SO CLOSE 😤

🇰🇪's Emmanuel Wanyonyi storms to 1:41.11 in Lausanne as he goes equal 2nd on the 800m all-time list 🤯

Diamond League record ✅
Meeting record ✅
World lead ✅#DiamondLeague pic.twitter.com/Qd4I2XL02m

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) August 22, 2024

Competing in his first meet since his Olympic triumph in Paris two weeks ago, Wanyonyi clocked 1:41.19, shaving a fraction off the time he set while winning gold in Paris.

In this race, Wanyonyi employed a different strategy from the one he used in Paris, opting to stay behind the pacesetter during the first lap.

Arop took the lead by the time the bell rang, leaving the 20-year-old Wanyonyi with ground to cover if he wanted to avoid defeat.

However, with 200 meters remaining, Arop began to fade, allowing Wanyonyi to accelerate, overtake, and maintain his lead to the finish line, setting a new personal best and world-leading time.

“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,” Wanyonyi said after the race.

Wanyonyi now prepares for the next Diamond League meet in Silesia, Poland, where he will once again face Arop, as well as fellow Kenyans Wycliffe Kinyamal and Aaron Cheminingwa.