Ex-cattle herder Wanyonyi poised to outshine Rudisha, a renowned distance runner
Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Keely Hodgkinson are set to be the stars of the upcoming Lausanne Diamond League meet, with both athletes being top contenders in their respective 800m events.
The Kenyan runner, Wanyonyi, made a name for himself in 2021 when he won the world under-20 championships in Nairobi. Since then, he has gone on to achieve great success, including winning gold at the 2024 Paris Games and silver at the 2023 world championships in Budapest. This season, Wanyonyi has notched up four victories on the Diamond League circuit and holds a personal best of 1:41.11, which he set at last year's Lausanne Diamond League meet.
Wanyonyi's best performance this season is 1:41.44, achieved in Monaco. Despite this, he expressed regret that his father, who passed away in 2018, was not alive to see his Olympic performance. However, his father's memory continues to inspire him, as he built a house for his mother and siblings with the money he earned from his world under-20 success.
In the women's 800m event, Keely Hodgkinson from Great Britain is the athlete to watch. Hodgkinson is a recent Olympic gold medalist and has shown dominant form, having won the women's 800m in Lausanne with a meeting record performance in 2025. Other strong contenders in the women's field include Tsige Duguma from Ethiopia and Jemma Reekie from Great Britain.
The Lausanne Diamond League meet is a crucial lead-up to the Diamond League Final in Zurich, heightening the stakes for these athletes. In addition to Wanyonyi, other competitors in the men's 800m event include Marco Arop, Bryce Hoppel, Josh Hoey, and Mohamed Attatoui.
Wanyonyi was discovered by youth coach Janeth Jepkosgei, the 2007 world 800m champion and 2008 Olympic silver medallist. He started running due to his background of poverty and has been encouraged by his friend and fellow Kenyan runner, David Rudisha, who set the world record of 1min 40.91sec in the 800m. Wanyonyi believes anyone can break the world record in the 800m due to the high level of competition in the event.
The Lausanne Diamond League meet is sure to be an exciting event, with Wanyonyi and Hodgkinson set to light up the track. Keep an eye on these two athletes as they compete against some of the best in the world.
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