Emmanuel Wanyonyi gives reason for enrolling for 2km Cross Country race

Reigning Olympic 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi added another feather to his already decorated cap by winning the men’s 2km race at the third Athletics Kenya Cross-country meet held on Saturday 2 November in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet.

Wanyonyi was competing for the first time since he won the men’s 800m at the Brussels Diamond League in September to bag the overall trophy for the prestigious competition.

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It has been a bountiful harvest for the youngster who also became the second-fastest athlete in the history of the 800m race when he clocked 1:41.11 at the Lausanne Diamond League in late August.

This race was unique to Wanyonyi as he seeks to build endurance and strength through Cross-country racing ahead of the upcoming track season.

Following his win, Wanyonyi expressed his satisfaction with the performance, noting that his cross-country races are a key part of his offseason training.

"I feel very happy to have won here in Iten. It shows my preparations are going well, and I’m proud of my performance. I did not have any pressure because I haven’t started full training yet; I just came to see how things would go," he said.

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Wanyonyi explained that he views Cross-country as a valuable tool for developing endurance and maintaining his fitness.

"My build-up is great, and I just pray that God keeps me safe so we can see how things will be next year. For now, I’m focused on endurance," he added.

With such an eventful highlight reel for 2024, Wanyonyi is undoubtedly one of the athletes to watch in the coming year, especially with the ‘small matter’ of smashing David Rudisha’s world record of 1:40.91.

However, the world 800m silver medalist is not putting the cart before the horse; it is a case of one step at a time for him.

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With the World Championships set for Tokyo next year, all eyes will be on the youngster to see what more goodies he can produce on the track.