Olympic 800 metres champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi may not have said it directly but he his definitely planning an assault on David Rudisha’s 12-year-old world record at Monaco Diamond League on July 11.
But before heading to Monaco, Wanyonyi will seek to seal victory on his debut in Stockholm Diamond League in the Swedish capital city tomorrow after a hard-fought victory at Oslo Diamond League.
Wanyonyi held on to the lead on the home straight against a strong field to win in a season best time of one minute and 42.78 seconds on Thursday.
“After Stockholm, I will return home to prepare well for Monaco where I plan to improve my personal best if the body allows,” Wanyonyi said.
"He is the joint second fastest man over 800m with Kenyan born Wilson Kipketer of Denmark, with his blistering 1:41.11 at last year’s Lausanne Diamond League, just 0.2 seconds shy of the world record.
Rudisha set the world record of 1:40.91 in the final of the 2012 London Olympic Games on August 9, 2012.
The Kenyan legend broke Kipketer’s world record of 1:41.11 set on August 24, 1997 in Cologne, Germany when he won in Berlin in 1:41.09.
Rudisha improved his record to 1:41.01 in Rieti, Italy on August 29, 2010.
Wanyonyi, the world silver medallist downplayed the rise of world leader Tshepiso Masalela from Botswana, saying that the only athletes that posed a threat to him this season was the reigning world champion Marco Arop (1:41.20) from Canada, Algerian Djamel Sedjati (1:41.46) and Frenchman Gabriel Tual (1:41.61).
It's Masalela, who beat Wanyonyi at the Rabat Diamond League on May 25, winning in a world lead of 1:42.70 as Wanyonyi settled for third place in 1:43.37 behind Briton Max Burgin in 1:43.34.
“Arop is powerful and intelligent with experience. He will defend his world title to the last sweat. Tual and Sedjati too have experience and their focus is the world event,” said Wanyonyi.
Though in great shape, Wanyonyi said that Masalela, 26, is still learning the ropes.
“Masalela might be in great shape but I am not quite sure about his training programme. He will need to acquaint himself with championship races,” said Wanyonyi, adding that he rarely loses twice to someone.
“If Masalela maintains his shape and is to beat me then we shall have run some of the craziest and fastest times in the recent past,” said the 20-year-old Wanyonyi.
The 2025 World Athletics Championships are scheduled for September 13 to 21 in Tokyo, Japan.
Wanyonyi bounced back from a defeat in Rabat to win Oslo, edging out Mohamed Attaoui from Spain and Sedjati who finished in season best times of 1:42.90 and 1:43.96 respectively. "I was a little bit tired having travelled a long way from Kenya but I am happy with my performance against a good field, " said Wanyonyi.
On the night, Olympic 3,000metres bronze medallist Faith Cherotich cracked a meet record of 9:02.60, erasing the previous time of 9:03.71 set by Norah Jeruto of Kazakhstan in 2019. Cherotich once again stunned Olympic champion Winfred Yavi to second place in season best 9:02.76 as the Kenyan born Bahrani timed 9:02.76.
