TOKYO2025: Emmanuel Wanyonyi secures Kenya men's first gold after tactical race
Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 20.09.25. | 16:46
The 20-year-old, who also claimed Olympic gold in Paris last year, controlled the race from gun to tape and never looked back
Emmanuel Wanyonyi asserted his dominance on the global stage with another golden performance, storming to victory in the men’s 800m final at the Tokyo World Championships on Saturday, 20 September.
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The 20-year-old, who also claimed Olympic gold in Paris last year, controlled the race from gun to tape and never looked back.
He crossed the line in a championship record of 1:41.86, holding off a late surge from Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati, who clocked a season’s best of 1:41.90.
Wanyonyi's perennial rival, Marco Arop from Canada, completed the podium in 1:41.95, also posting a season best.
The race was a tactical thriller. Wanyonyi burst out strongly, taking the lead at 100m with Great Britain’s Max Burgin and Arop keeping close tabs.
At 200m, Arop briefly surged to the front, but Wanyonyi quickly reclaimed control at 300m, dictating the pace with authority.
By the halfway mark, the Kenyan had established his rhythm, with Arop and Burgin trailing in second and third.
The order remained unchanged through 500m and into the final bend, as Wanyonyi’s long strides kept him in command.
The drama unfolded in the last few meters when Arop attempted his trademark kick, but this time it was Sedjati who powered past to snatch silver, leaving the Canadian with bronze.
The result was a mirror image of the Paris 2024 Olympic podium, where Arop had finished second and Sedjati third.
This time, Wanyonyi once again proved unshakable, but the supporting cast swapped places behind him.
