Emmanuel Wanyonyi

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Wikipedia

Emmanuel Wanyonyi
Wanyonyi at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in the 800 metres final
Personal information
NationalityKenyan
Born1 August 2004 (2004-08) (age 21)
Kapretwa, Trans-Nzoia County, Kenya
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Sport
CountryKenya
SportAthletics
Event
Middle-distance running
Achievements and titles
Highest world ranking1st (800 m, 2023)[2]
Personal best(s)800 m: 1:41.11 (Lausanne 2024)
1500 m: 3:35.17 (Kingston 2025)
Road Mile: 3:52.45 AR (Herzogenaurach 2025)
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Kenya
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place2024 Paris800 m
World Championships
Gold medal – first place2025 Tokyo800 m
Silver medal – second place2023 Budapest800 m
Diamond League
First place2023800 m
First place2024800 m
First place2025800 m
World U20 Championships
Gold medal – first place2021 Nairobi800 m
World Cross Country Championships
Gold medal – first place2023 BathurstMixed relay

Emmanuel Wanyonyi (born 1 August 2004)[3] is a Kenyan middle-distance runner who specialises in the 800 metres. He won the gold medal in this event at the 2024 Summer Olympics and the 2025 World Championships.

With his personal best of 1:41.11 set at the 2024 Lausanne Diamond League, Wanyonyi and Wilson Kipketer are tied for second place in the all-time 800 metre list, behind only Wanyonyi's compatriot David Rudisha, who holds the world record.[4] Wanyonyi also briefly held the world record in the road mile, with a time of 3:54.56, from April 2024 to September 2024.

Early and personal life

Wanyonyi is the fifth of twelve children. He has five brothers and six sisters, and is the only member of his family who runs. Due to insufficient funds, he dropped out of primary school at age 10 and worked as a cattle herder to help his family financially.[5]

When Wanyonyi was 18, his father died, forcing his mother to move away with his younger siblings. Wanyonyi continued to run in his free time and was noticed by a teacher who convinced him to return to school. Wanoynyi's running ability caught the attention of Janeth Jepkosgei, who connected him with his current coach, Claudio Berardelli.[5]

Career

2021–2023

Wanyonyi won the gold medal at the 2021 World Under-20 Championships, setting a championship record in the process.[6][7] At the age of 18, he placed fourth at the 2022 World Athletics Championships.[8]

At the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Wanyonyi finished second to Marco Arop in the 800 metres, with a time of 1:44.53 while Arop ran 1:44.24.[9]

2024

Wanyonyi broke the world record in the road mile with a time of 3:54.56 at the Adizero Road to Records event in Herzogenaurach, Germany, on 27 April. The previous record of 3:56.13 belonged to American athlete Hobbs Kessler, who finished second to Wanyonyi in a time of 3:56.18.[10] Wanyonyi's record has since been broken by British athlete Elliot Giles, who ran 3:51.3 in September.[11]

In June, Wanyonyi ran 1:41.70 to win the 800 metres at the Athletics Kenya Olympic Trials, making him then the 3rd-fastest performer ever over this event, behind Wilson Kipketer's 1:41.11 and David Rudisha's world record of 1:40.91.[12][13]

On 7 July, at the Meeting de Paris, Wanyonyi came in second place to Djamel Sedjati in the 800 meters, running a personal best of 1:41.58 while Sedjati ran 1:41.56. At the time, this made Wanyonyi and Sedjati the fourth and third fastest 800 meter runners in history, respectively.[14]

At the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wanyonyi won the gold medal in the 800 metres, in a time of 1:41.19, surpassing Djamel Sedjati to become the third fastest man in history at the distance, behind only compatriot David Rudisha and Danish athlete Wilson Kipketer.[15] Only one hundredth of a second behind Wanyonyi was the 2023 800 metre World Champion Marco Arop, who set a new North, Central American, and Caribbean area record.[16]

On 22 August, Wanyonyi lowered his 800 metre personal best by 0.08 seconds to 1:41.11 at the Lausanne Diamond League. This time tied Wilson Kipketer's 1997 personal best, making Wanyonyi and Kipketer tied for second place in the all-time 800 meter list, behind only David Rudisha.[17]

2025

On 5 April, at the 2025 Grand Slam Track Kingston meeting, Wanyonyi, competing as a challenger, won the 1500 metres over 2024 Olympic medalists Cole Hocker, Josh Kerr, and Yared Nuguse, in a time of 3:35.18.[18] The next day, he finished second in the 800 metres behind Marco Arop. With 12 points earned in the 1500 metres and 8 points earned in the 800 metres, Wanyonyi was crowned the men's short distance Slam Champion of the meeting.[19] On 26 April, Wanyonyi defended his title in the road mile at the Adizero Road to Records event, setting a new personal best of 3:52.45, which stands as the third fastest performance in history.[20]

On 15 June, Wanyonyi ran a world lead of 1:41.95 in the Stockholm Diamond League. He improved his world lead to 1:41.44 at Herculis on 11 July.[21] On 19 July, Wanyonyi won the London Athletics Meet in a time of 1:42.00.[22] On 28 August, he won the Zürich Diamond League Final in 1:42.37.[23]

On 20 September, Wanyonyi won the 800 metres at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, in a championship record time of 1:41.86.[24]

Achievements

National competitions

Year Competition Event Time Place Ref
2024 Athletics Kenya Olympic Trials 800 m 1:41.70 1st

International competitions

Year Competition Event Time Place Ref
2021 World U20 Championships 800 m 1:43.76 CR 1st
2022 World Championships 800 m 1:44.54 4th
2023 World Championships 800 m 1:44.53 2nd
2024 Olympic Games 800 m 1:41.19 1st
2025 World Championships 800 m 1:41.86 CR

Circuit wins

Grand Slam Track

Grand Slam Track results[25]
SlamRace groupEventPl.TimePrize money
2025 Kingston SlamShort distance 1500 m1st3:35.18US$100,000
800 m2nd1:46.44

Awards and honours

References

  1. ↑ "WANYONYI Emmanuel". Paris 2024 Olympics. Archived from the original on 30 July 2024. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  2. ↑ IAAF World Ranking
  3. ↑ "Emmanuel WANYONYI | Profile | World Athletics". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
  4. ↑ "800 Metres - men - senior - all". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
  5. 1 2 "Emmanuel Wanyonyi and the race for David Rudisha's legendary 800m world record at the 2024 Diamond League finals". Olympics.com.
  6. ↑ "Kenya's Emmanuel Wanyonyi wins Gold in men's 800m finals as compatriot Noah Kibet wins bronze". The Standard. 2021-08-22. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
  7. ↑ Joshua, Elvince (2021-08-20). "Emmanuel Wanyonyi: Former herdsman to gold hunter". The Standard. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
  8. ↑ "Spotlight on Rising Stars: Adriana Vilagos and Emmanuel Wanyonyi". World Athletics. 2022-11-11. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  9. ↑ "800 Metres Result | World Athletics Championships, Budapest 2023". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
  10. ↑ "Wanyonyi runs world road mile record in Herzogenaurach".
  11. ↑ "1 Mile Road - men - senior - all". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  12. ↑ Emmanuel Wanyonyi at World Athletics Edit this at Wikidata
  13. ↑ "800 Metres - men - senior - all". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
  14. ↑ LetsRun.com (2024-07-06). "2024 Paris Diamond League Results - Meeting De Paris Results". LetsRun.com. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
  15. ↑ "800 Metres - men - senior - all".
  16. ↑ "MEN'S 800M FINAL RESULTS".
  17. ↑ "2024 Lausanne Diamond League: Emmanuel Wanyonyi steals the show to become second-fastest 800m runner in history".
  18. ↑ "Grand Slam Track: Kenny Bednarek wins 100-200m double as Emmanuel Wanyonyi beats Olympic podium". Olympics.com. 5 April 2025. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  19. ↑ "Arop runs away in 800m; Wanyonyi wins overall". NBC Sports. Retrieved 2025-04-07.
  20. ↑ "Ngetich breaks women-only world 10km record with 29:27 in Herzogenaurach | REPORT | World Athletics". worldathletics.org. Archived from the original on 2025-04-26. Retrieved 2025-04-29.
  21. ↑ Gault, Jonathan (2025-07-11). "Wanyonyi & Lyles Deliver, Hoey Is Now the Favorite For USAs, & More Thoughts from 2025 Monaco DL". LetsRun.com. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  22. ↑ "London Diamond League - London Athletics Meet - News - London Roars as Wanyonyi, Alfred, Bol, and Seville Shine Bright at Packed Diamond League Showcase". www.runnerspace.com. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  23. ↑ Collett, Jasmine (2025-08-28). "Emmanuel Wanyonyi edges out Max Burgin in Diamond League final - Athletics Weekly". athleticsweekly.com. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  24. ↑ LetsRun.com (2025-09-20). "Watch: Emmanuel Wanyonyi Wins an Instant Classic 800m at Worlds". LetsRun.com. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  25. ↑ "Grand Slam Track Results". Grand Slam Track. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  26. ↑ "Kenya's Emmanuel Wanyonyi crowned Track Athlete of the Year 2025". blog.ke.sportpesa.com. 2025-12-01. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
  27. ↑ Masibo, Joel (2025-12-01). "Emmanuel Wanyonyi crowned Male Track Athlete of the Year". People Daily. Retrieved 2025-12-02.