African athletics stars will be among the leading contenders when the Wanda Diamond League Final opens in Brussels on Friday, with Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi, Botswana’s Busang Collen Kebinatshipi and Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan among the athletes chasing season titles.
The two-day final takes place on 4 and 5 September at the King Baudouin Stadium, bringing together the highest-ranked athletes from the 2026 Diamond League season across 32 disciplines. The meeting will distribute US$2.24 million in prize money, according to the Diamond League.
Wanyonyi chases a fourth straight Diamond Trophy
Wanyonyi enters the men’s 800 metres as one of Africa’s strongest title prospects. The Kenyan is the reigning world and Olympic champion and has won the past three Diamond League Finals.
The 22-year-old also set a 1,000m world record in Monaco during the 2026 season. The Brussels organisers describe him as the second-fastest 800m performer in history, with a personal best of 1:41.11.
Brussels also carries positive memories for Wanyonyi, who won the Diamond League title there in 2024. A fourth consecutive trophy would extend his dominance of one of athletics’ most competitive middle-distance events.
Kebinatshipi arrives unbeaten
Botswana’s Kebinatshipi has built an equally compelling 400m campaign. He arrives in Brussels unbeaten in Diamond League competition this year after victories in Xiamen, Paris, Eugene and Monaco.
His 43.44-second performance in Monaco made him the sixth-fastest man in history over 400 metres, according to the Brussels meeting organisers. The 22-year-old broke through globally with world championship gold in Tokyo last year and has continued that momentum throughout the current season.
Amusan targets another title
Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan is also among the African athletes who qualified for the final. The 100m hurdles world-record holder is seeking to regain a Diamond League title she held for three consecutive seasons from 2021 to 2023.
The presence of athletes from Kenya, Botswana and Nigeria gives Africa significant representation across sprint, hurdles and middle-distance events, continuing a season in which African athletes have been prominent well beyond the continent’s traditional distance-running strengths.
More than a season finale
The Brussels meeting carries unusually high stakes. The Diamond League says the final alone will pay US$2.24 million, with individual winners receiving up to US$60,000 in designated Diamond+ disciplines. Prize money is equal for men and women.
For African athletics, the final is also an opportunity to close the international circuit season with titles across several disciplines. Wanyonyi enters with an established championship record, Kebinatshipi with an unbeaten Diamond League campaign and Amusan with the chance to return to the top of the series.
The results will be decided in Brussels over Friday and Saturday. Until then, their status is that of contenders rather than champions, but Africa enters the final with several of the strongest performers of the 2026 season.
Sources
- Brussels Diamond League: Wanyonyi and Kebinatshipi preview
- Wanda Diamond League: Road to the 2026 Final
- Wanda Diamond League: 2026 prize money
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