Emmanuel Wanyonyi is gearing up for his next competition as he intensifies his pursuit of David Rudisha’s world record.
Emmanuel Wanyonyi is continuing preparations for the long track season with David Rudisha’s world record in sight.
The reigning Olympic 800m champion has been confirmed for the Sirikwa Classic Cross Country at the Lobo Village in Eldoret on Saturday, February 22.
Emmanuel Wanyonyi already opened his season with a win in the 2km race at the Kenyan Cross-Country Championships at the Eldoret Sports Club on Saturday, February 8.
He was flawless as he claimed top honours, going up against a very strong field that included former world under-20 1500m champion Reynold Cheruiyot and former world champion Timothy Cheruiyot.
Now, he goes for the Sirikwa Classic Cross Country as the defending champion in the 2km race and hopes to continue his winning ways as he builds up to attack Rudisha’s world record.
Wanyonyi has been in great form in the recent past starting from his 2024 exploits at the National Olympic trials. He clocked a stunning 1:41.70 to cross the finish line, spearheading the outbreak of fast times in the 800m.
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The world 800m silver medallist proceeded to claim second place at the Diamond League Meeting in Paris, lowering his time to 1:41.58.
At the Paris Olympic Games, Emmanuel Wanyonyi was no fluke as he became the youngest-ever Kenyan to win an Olympic gold medal. He clocked a personal best time of 1:41.19 ahead of Marco Arop and Djamel Sedjati, his serial rivals.
He did not rest on his laurels and went over the Diamond League Meeting in Lausanne where he threatened Rudisha’s record, clocking 1:41.11 for a win. David Rudisha’s world record stands at 1:40.91.
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In Silesia, Wanyonyi finished second before rounding up his busy season with a win at the Diamond League Meeting final in Brussels.
With his stunning run in 2024, world record talks emerged and the shy 20-year-old has yet to make his intentions clear but has hinted that if all goes well this season, he will go for it.
“I don’t have any pressure to run the world record but maybe it might come. The world record might come but I know I really need to work hard to achieve it because it’s not easy,” Wanyonyi said in a past interview with CGTN.
As Emmanuel Wanyonyi continues to build momentum for the season, all eyes are on his quest to challenge David Rudisha’s long-standing world record.
With a series of impressive performances already under his belt, including victories at major events and a narrowing of the world record gap, Wanyonyi’s ambition to etch his name in history remains within reach.
As the Sirikwa Classic Cross-Country approaches, the 20-year-old is focused on maintaining his winning streak, confident that with continued hard work, the world record could be his next major achievement.
