When Olympic and world 800 metres champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi ran the second fastest time in history, winning the 2024 Lausanne Diamond League in one minute and 41.11 seconds, the world held its breath.
Pundits observed that it was only a matter of time before the three-time Diamond League Trophy winner would break his compatriot David Rudisha’s 800m metres world record, which had stood for over a decade.
Just 21 days after achieving a time of 1:41.19 to win the Olympic gold in Paris, Wanyonyi recorded a time of 1:41.11 in the Swiss city, equalling the time of Kenyan-born Dane Wilson Kipketer as the second fastest man over the distance.
Kipketer set his time of 1:41.11 on August 24, 1997 in Cologne, Germany, and it remained a world record for 13 years until Rudisha broke it on August 22, 2010 in Berlin with a time of 1:41.09, which he then improved to 1:41.01 in Rieti, Italy, a week later.
He then became the first man to run a sub-1:41 in the 800m, clocking 1:40.91 to win the gold at the London Olympic Games on August 9, 2012.
After equalling Kipketer’s second-fastest time, Wanyonyi ran 1:41.44 in his world-record attempt in Monaco last year.
However, the dynamics of the world record seem to be changing, with American teenager Cooper Lutkenhaus slowly destabilising the world order in the two-lap race this year.
Lutkenhaus may have made history at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Toruń, Poland, in March, but his Diamond League victories in Stockholm and Oslo on his debut have left the world abuzz.
In contrast, Wanyonyi lost his opening races in Rabat and Oslo to the American teenager, once again raising the prospect of a new world record.
Kenya's Emmanuel Wanyonyi celebrates with his national flag after winning gold in the men's 800m at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on September 20, 2025.
Photo credit: Reuters
The two were kept apart in the two races, with Lutkenhaus heading home as Wanyonyi returned to Monaco to defend his title. He achieved his third personal best time of 1:41.44 last year.
Lutkenhaus failed to make the headlines when he was eliminated in the first round of last year’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, despite securing second place in the American trials.
However, Lutkenhaus made history by becoming the youngest gold medallist in the history of the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Toruń Poland when he won the 800m final in 1:44.24.
He accomplished this feat at the age of 17 years and 93 days, also making him the youngest man to win a world title, either indoors or outdoors.
Previously, Ethiopian Mohammed Aman was the youngest indoor champion in the men’s 800m at the 2012 World Indoor Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, aged 18 years and 61 days.
Then came the moment for the teenager on his Diamond League debut, when he beat Canadian 2023 world 800m champion Marco Arop to win in Stockholm on Sunday in 1:42.70. Arop, the 2024 Paris Olympics 800m silver medallist, settled for second place in 1:43.11 in the Swedish capital.
On Wednesday evening in Oslo, the youngster took the battle to Wanyonyi. Wanyonyi hit the front in his trademark style, but Copper overtook him with 200 metres to go and never looked back, while the Kenyan chased in vain.
Lutkenhaus dived across the finish line in a personal best and world lead time of 1:42.08. Wanyonyi, who was also beaten into second place by Briton Max Burgin at the Rabat Diamond League meeting on May 31, came second, losing by just 0.1 seconds after a late surge.
Lutkenhaus made history as the youngest male winner of the Diamond League at 17 years, five months and 22 days, with back-to-back victories in Stockholm and Oslo. His time is the 14th best over the distance.
Leonard Kosencha of Kenya was previously the youngest Diamond League winner in the men’s 800 metres, following his success at the 2012 Shanghai Diamond League when he was 17 years and 272 days old.
Wanyonyi was the second youngest winner, achieving victory at the 2022 Rabat Diamond League when he was 17 years and 308 days old.
“I had to dive to be sure of the win because I knew Wanyonyi was on my shoulder,” said Lutkenhaus.
