Emmanuel Wanyonyi Nears 800m World Record at Lausanne Diamond League

Posted : 23 August 2024

Emmanuel Wanyonyi nearly made history at the Lausanne Diamond League meet, coming agonizingly close to breaking David Rudisha's long-standing 800m world record. Wanyonyi, who has been in remarkable form since his victory in Paris, finished just 0.20 seconds shy of Rudisha's 1:40.91 mark set during the London 2012 Olympics. The Kenyan runner's performance in Lausanne solidified his status as a top contender in the 800m, and he will have another opportunity to challenge the record at the upcoming Diamond League meet in Silesia, Poland.

In addition to Wanyonyi's impressive showing, other Olympic champions also made their mark in Lausanne. Botswana's Letsile Tebogo delivered a stunning performance in the 200m, clocking an impressive 19.64 seconds to secure victory. Tebogo, who won Botswana's first-ever Olympic gold in the 200m in Paris, admitted that his preparation for the Lausanne meet was far from ideal, having taken an eight-day break from training after returning home to a hero's welcome. Despite the lack of preparation, Tebogo emphasized the importance of maintaining form throughout the season to stay competitive.

Greece's Miltiadis Tentoglou and Ukraine's Yaroslava Mahuchikh also claimed victories in Lausanne, with Tentoglou winning the long jump with a leap of 8.06 meters and Mahuchikh triumphing in the women's high jump at 1.99 meters. However, not all Olympic champions found success in Switzerland. Grant Holloway, Cole Hocker, and German shot putter Yemisi Ogunleye were unable to replicate their Paris form, falling short of the top spot on the podium. In a notable redemption story, Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen bounced back from his disappointing fourth-place finish in the Olympic 1500m final by winning the event in Lausanne with a meet record time of 3:27.83.

The men's 110m hurdles saw one of the biggest upsets of the night, as Olympic champion and three-time world gold medalist Grant Holloway was narrowly defeated by Jamaica's Rasheed Broadbell, who won in 13.10 seconds. Holloway acknowledged the challenge of maintaining peak performance after the high of the Olympics but expressed determination to learn from the race and continue improving. He remains focused on defending his world titles and views every race as an opportunity for growth.

The men's 800m has been one of the standout events of the season, with Lausanne delivering another thrilling race. Wanyonyi's world-leading time of 1:41.11 not only secured victory but also matched the second-fastest time ever run, tying Denmark's Wilson Kipketer. With the aid of wavelength technology and two pace-setters, Wanyonyi pushed himself to the limit, signaling that Rudisha's once-untouchable record may soon fall.

Despite his remarkable performance, Wanyonyi is not resting on his laurels. He is set to compete in the Diamond League meet in Silesia and the finals in Brussels next month, where he hopes to continue his pursuit of the world record. Reflecting on his race in Lausanne, Wanyonyi expressed satisfaction with his effort, noting that his body responded well and allowed him to push for a world-leading time.

Another highlight of the Lausanne meet was Dutch athlete Femke Bol's victory in the 400m hurdles. Bol, who finished with a bronze medal in Paris behind Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Anna Cockrell, won the event in 52.55 seconds, providing some consolation for her Olympic performance. With the track and field season in full swing, athletes like Wanyonyi and Bol are showing that they are not content with past achievements and are eager to push the boundaries of their respective events.

Emmanuel Wanyonyi Nears 800m World Record at Lausanne Diamond League

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