Wanyonyi hopes to make it happen in Tokyo World Championships

“Winners make it happen,” basketball legend Michael Jordan once said, and it seems reigning Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi perfectly espouses this belief.

The 800m star has tasted both triumph and defeat but has consistently made things happen.

Wanyonyi’s indefatigable spirit and flawless execution of tactics and instructions have not only propelled him to stunning victories in the two-lap race but have also earned Kenya glory.

At the age of 21 and having spectacularly made his transition to the senior ranks, Wanyonyi is looking to make it happen at the Tokyo World Athletics Championships scheduled for September 13 – 21.

With his brilliant shows and triumphs at the Diamond Leagues and glory at local contests to boot, Wanyonyi is strongly in contention for a historic dominance in the 800m, joining the exclusive league of legends such as world record holder David Rudisha and Wilson Kipketer, among others.

During the last World Championships, which was staged in Budapest, Hungary, Wanyonyi came home with silver after losing the gold medal to Canadian Marco Arop.

Even as he competed in the Lausanne Diamond League last night, Wanyonyi’s gigantic confidence ahead of the Tokyo World Athletics Championships remains inspirational.

Before heading to Lausanne, Wanyonyi, who shot to fame after storming to victory in the 800m event at the 2021 World Under-20 Championships in Nairobi, exclusively told Standard Sports that his focus was on the upcoming Tokyo25 showdown and that the track meets are to put to test his tactical bits.

From the time he bagged silver in Budapest, Wanyonyi says, a lot has improved, and his tactics have been tested severally.

“I was in the best form to compete in Budapest but unlike many counterparts, I did not have the solid experience to face my biggest challenger at the time,” Wanyonyi, who trains alongside his Team Kenya group in Eldoret, said.

He says he is going to Tokyo as a more seasoned athlete compared to 2023, when he competed at athletics’ biggest stage aged just 19.

In Budapest, Wanyonyi says, his confidence was, in a big way, bogged down, by the fear of competing with experienced stars who had dominated the global arena for years.

“It was my second event at the global stage (after the World Under-20 Championships), and I was still a junior athlete,” said Wanyonyi.

He is the 2024 Diamond League champion, and he will be doing duty for Kenya alongside African silver Nicholas Kebenei and Kelvin Kimtai Loti.

“I was still gaining experience at the time (Budapest23), and I still needed to fine-tune my tactics. I have now gained experience, not as much as other athletes in the event, but enough for me to do well in Tokyo,” Wanyonyi said.

He said his confidence and mental strength have improved over time and that he is happy for the career growth.

“In Tokyo, I pray that I remain in good shape. Our first assignment is to get past the heats, and when we make it to the finals as a team, we will know what will follow from there,” he further said.

After last night’s Lausanne show, his focus will be on the Diamond League final in Zurich.

“After the Diamond League final in Zurich, my next competition will be at the World Championships,” he added.

Wanyonyi has dictated the proceedings in a number of head-to-heads with his main challenger, Arop, from the 2024 season.

At the 2024 Lausanne Diamond League, for instance, Wanyonyi edged out the Canadian just weeks after bagging a gold medal at the Paris Olympic Games. Wanyonyi ran 1:41.11, equalling the second fastest time by Kipketer.

An unstoppable Wanyonyi has also delivered stunning Diamond League victories this season in meets such as London, Monaco, Stockholm and Oslo.

He has dipped under 1:42 in three of the Diamond League races he has won this season.

Wanyonyi has routinely been competing in local cross-country races when preparing for the track seasons.

In the last cross-country season, he chalked up victories in the 2km loop in Iten, Kapsabet and at the national event in Eldoret.

Kebenei, who is in the 800m squad with Wanyonyi, hopes to shine in Brussels Diamond League tomorrow.

“I am aiming to run 1:42 at the Brussels Diamond League before returning to train specifically for the World Championships,” said Kebenei.