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Paris Olympics: Emmanuel Wanyonyi out to take Kenya's fifth straight gold in 800m
Reading Time: 2min | Wed. 07.08.24. | 08:04
Wanyonyi will be in the third heat after Kidali, who will be in the second before Kinyamal hits the track later in the fifth of the six heats
Kenyans will be counting on World silver medalist Emmanuel Wanyonyi to retain the country's men’s 800m title won by his namesake Emmanuel Korir in a race the country has dominated since 2008.
The race promises to be fast and thrilling; it could even be one where we see a new world record since three men competing in the event have already run a 1.41 this year.
Wanyonyi, Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati, and France’s Gabriel Tual are men to keep an eye on when the heats begin ahead of the weekend’s final.
Kenya has dominated the race since Wilfred Bungei ended the country’s wait for an Olympic gold 16 years ago when he won the title in Beijing in 2008, with David Rudisha bagging the prestigious medal on two occasions in 2012 and 2016 and Emmanuel Koror retaining the crown in Tokyo 2020.
With the veterans out of the race, pressure will be on rookie Wanyonyi, who hits the track on Wednesday afternoon, flanked by countrymen duo of double Commonwealth champion Wycliffe Kinyamal and Koitatoi Kidali.
The Kenyans face stiff competition from Algeria’s Sedjati, who last month beat Wanyonyi when the duo ran the third and fourth fastest times in history at the Diamond League, but Kenyans will be banking on the youngster's ability to jostle with the greats to secure a place in the medal race.
THIRD FASTEST EVER 🙌
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) June 15, 2024
🇰🇪's Emmanuel Wanyonyi with an incredible performance in the 800m at the Kenyan Olympic Trials
Wanyonyi's 1:41.70 is the fastest time since 2012. Only David Rudisha and Wilson Kipketer have gone faster 👏
Less than a second off the world record... 👀 pic.twitter.com/4x5QaiQST9
Before the race in Paris, the 20-year-old had been the holder of the world’s fastest time this year after running 1:41.70 in Nairobi in June, and it gives Kenyans great confidence.
Wanyonyi will be in the third heat after Kidali, who will be in the second before Kinyamal hits the track later in the fifth of the six heats.












