TOKYO2025: Emmanuel Wanyonyi begins pursuit of missing piece
.jpg)
Reading Time: 2min | Tue. 16.09.25. | 05:22
The 21-year-old will be one of four Kenyans in the 800m heats starting at 1335 EAT
World U20 title check. Olympic title check. Diamond League title(s) check.
Only one box is yet to be ticked by Emmanuel Wanyonyi, and his journey to do so begins on Tuesday, 16 September at the National Stadium in Tokyo.
Follow our WhatsApp channel for more news
After his fastidious coming of age, the 21-year-old will step onto the track for the 800m heats with one goal in mind - finding a way to be world champion.
In 2023, the then teenager knelt in prayer at the entrance of the National Athletics Centre in Budapest ahead of the final, but saw his effort come short after being overhauled by Canada’s Marco Arop for silver.
Having come off a fourth-placed finish a year earlier in Oregon, that must have been welcome, but his accomplishments since then point to one thing, and that is the Paris Olympics champion walking off with a gold medal strapped around his neck.
His first assignment, which he hopes to deal with ease, comes in Heat Five on Tuesday, scheduled for 1411 EAT.
Wanyonyi, by then, will have been preceded by two of three other Kenyans in the discipline - Alex Ngeno and debutant Kelvin Kimtai, who will line up in Heats One and Two gunning off at 1315 and 1344 EAT.
The last of the quartet will be Nicholas Kebenei, who will be in Heat Seven at 1429 EAT.
Special year in the offing
A special year in the two-lap event will feature a potential duel with the defending world champion, and 11 other men who have dipped below 1:43 this year.
The favorite - Wanyonyi - owns the three fastest times in the world this year, topped by his world-leading 1:41.44 in Monaco.
Having won five of his last six races, he will be buoyant heading into Tokyo after retaining his Diamond League title in Zurich.
The fact that Arop has only beaten him once - in a Grand Slam Track event - will give him more reason to believe.
WHAT A FINISH 🤯
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) July 19, 2025
🇰🇪's Emmanuel Wanyonyi wins a tough 800m battle with Marco Arop, overtaking the Canadian in the final 50m to take the win in 1:42.00 and break the meeting record at the @London_DL 💥#DiamondLeague pic.twitter.com/QIffZSjcI4
A big question that will surely dominate the days leading up to Saturday’s, 20 September final will be whether David Rudisha's world record of 1:40.91 from the 2012 Olympic Games will remain standing, and there is no doubting the talent on show.
First up though, avoid trouble and get through the heats.
.jpg)
