African athletes delivered a string of podium finishes at the Lausanne Diamond League, led by victories for Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo and Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi.
Tebogo won the men’s 200 metres in 19.87 seconds, while South Africa’s Sinesipho Dambile followed him home in 19.98 to complete an African one-two. The result underlined Tebogo’s strong form as the Diamond League season moves towards its decisive stages, according to the official World Athletics report from Lausanne.
Wanyonyi wins a high-quality 800m
Wanyonyi added another major result for the continent in the men’s 800 metres, winning in 1:42.19 after a strong late surge. Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati finished second in 1:42.31, giving African runners another one-two finish in one of the evening’s strongest races.
The Kenyan returned to a venue where he ran 1:41.11 in 2024, a performance that placed him among the fastest 800m runners in history. His latest Lausanne victory reinforces his position among the leading contenders as the season approaches its final meetings.
More African athletes reach the podium
Nigeria’s Favour Ofili also reached the podium in the women’s 200 metres, finishing third, while Kenya’s Faith Cherotich took second place in the women’s 3000m steeplechase behind Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi.
Yavi was born in Kenya but represents Bahrain internationally, so her victory is not counted as an African national-team result. Cherotich’s runner-up finish nevertheless added another Kenyan podium to a meeting in which athletes representing Botswana, South Africa, Kenya, Algeria and Nigeria featured prominently.
The Lausanne results give African athletics several strong storylines to follow through the remaining Diamond League meetings, particularly in the men’s 200m and 800m where the continent supplied both first and second place.
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