Wanyonyi, Sedjati, Arop to renew rivalry in Monaco

Emmanuel Wanyonyi’s preparations for the Paris Olympics couldn’t have gotten any more interesting as the teenage sensation is set to face two of his toughest competitors in his final race before the Games, in Monaco.

The 19-year-old world silver medalist headlines the 800m men’s race at the Monaco Diamond League scheduled for 12 July.

He goes up against Algerian Djamel Sedjati who timed a world lead of 1:41.56, the third fastest time in history, to win the Paris Diamond League on Sunday evening ahead of Wanyonyi’s new personal best (PB) of 1:41.58.

Wanyonyi’s PB is the fourth fastest time after David Rudisha’s world record, Wilson Kipketer’s 1:41.11, and Sedjati’s Paris Diamond League winning time.

The two will also lock horns, again, with the fifth fastest 800m runner of all time, Gabriel Tual, a feat he achieved on Sunday in finishing third in 1:41.61.

To add to the race’s excitement, organisers also have world champion and Wanyonyi’s nemesis Marco Arop. The men’s 800m competition in 2023 was held together by a central thread of rivalry between this duo.

Wanyonyi dominated Wanda Diamond League racing, winning the final in a then world-leading 1:42.80 but it was Arop who won the biggest race of the season as he added world gold in Budapest to the bronze he had won the previous year in Oregon.

Kipyegon sets sights on Olympics after record-shattering run in Paris

As the Kenyan star prepares for a debut at the Summer Games, he admits that the pressure of breaking his compatriot's world record has not gotten to him, despite the many voices leading him to such targets, arguing that his focus is in Paris.

“I like to compete. I like running against Arop. He is my friend, and he makes me train hard for our competitions. That’s why I need to keep my discipline for next year, for the Olympics,” Wanyonyi told World Athletics after winning last year’s Diamond League trophy.

“My target next year is to run 1:41. Some people say to me ‘Wanyonyi you can run the world record next year’. But I say no. The world record may come in a few more years, but I am still young,” he opined, a sentiment he holds to date.