Emmanuel Wanyonyi's late surge overpowers Marco Arop to win Diamond League Trophy
Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 14.09.24. | 23:07
Wanyonyi outpaced Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati and Canada’s Marco Arop in the closing stretch, crossing the line in 1:42.70
Olympic gold medalist Emmanuel Wanyonyi delivered a stunning final lap to claim victory in the men's 800m in Brussels on Saturday, securing the prestigious Diamond League Trophy.
Wanyonyi outpaced Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati and Canada’s Marco Arop in the closing stretch, crossing the line in 1:42.70.
Djamel finished second in 1:42.86, with Arop coming in third at 1:43.25.
Before the race, the trio had set their sights on breaking David Rudisha’s record, with Arop taking an early lead. However, he could not maintain his pace in the final meters, allowing Wanyonyi to surge ahead for the win.
Wanyonyi seemed out of contention for the title as Arop and Sedjati surged ahead, appearing to be on course for victory. However, as Arop faded and Sedjati closed in to take the lead, Wanyonyi made a stunning late charge to seize control of the race.
This victory capped off an extraordinary season for Wanyonyi, who broke the 1:42 barrier for the first time during the Kenya Olympic trials and later set a personal best of 1:41.58 at the Paris Diamond League in July.
At the Summer Games, the 20-year-old claimed his first Olympic gold medal, leading a competitive field to the finish line with a time of 1:41.19.
Wanyonyi continued to improve, running a personal best of 1:41.11 at the Lausanne Diamond League, putting him just 0.20 seconds away from the legendary world record held by fellow Kenyan, David Rudisha.
The world silver medallist now boasts four victories this season, having won in Rabat, Paris, and Lausanne. His only defeat came in Silesia, where Arop finished ahead of him before their final showdown in Brussels.
