Kenya’s Wanyonyi Adds World 800m Title to Olympic Gold

Kenya’s middle-distance dominance was on full display in Tokyo as Emmanuel Wanyonyi powered to victory in the men’s 800 metres final at the World Athletics Championships.

The 20-year-old ran a championship record of 1:41.86, adding the world title to the Olympic gold he won in Paris last year.

Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati pushed hard to take silver in 1:42.12, while Canada’s Marco Arop settled for bronze in 1:42.22.

For Wanyonyi, it was not only about defending Kenya’s reputation in the two-lap race but also about announcing himself as the heir to a long line of Kenyan greats in the 800m. His calm execution—sitting in the pack and then accelerating decisively with 200m to go—left no doubt about his place at the top of the world.

With both Olympic and world crowns at just 20 years of age, Wanyonyi now looks poised to dominate the event for years to come.

Source: Reuters