The Kenya-based middle-distance runner, Emmanuel Wanyonyi, is brilliantly taking over the 800 meters. From standing victorious at the 2021 World Under-20 Championships to securing silver medal win at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, the 19-year-old has covered it all. Along similar lines, he once again took home the triumph by giving an extravagant performance at the Eugene Diamond League Finals 2023.

Through his staunch performance in his beloved 800m discipline, the Kenyan trounced the Canadian sprinter Marco Arop and took home the victory. He crossed the finish line with absolute finesse and defeated the reigning 800m World Athletics Champion. Let’s take a panoramic view of how this amazing race turned out.

Emmanuel Wanyonyi gets the better of the 800m world champion 

The 800 meters at the Eugene Diamond League unfolded with a very heated performance between the contenders. The Canadian world champion Marco Arop gave a head-to-head competition to his Kenyan counterpart. However, Wanyonyi ousted him gracefully to clinch the 800m glory, as he crossed the finish line by clocking 1:42.80.

The World Athletics shared a post regarding Wanyonyi’s win. The post carried a picture from a moment of his on the track. The caption carried, “World lead for Wanyonyi.” 

They further added, “Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi upsets world champion Marco Arop to win the men’s 800m Diamond League title in 1:42.80.” 

He accomplished the 800m with a personal-best and world-leading 1:42.80 at the Diamond League Prefontaine Classic. Not just this, he also surpassed the meet record set by Nigel Amos in 2014 which was 1:43.63. And another highlight of the match was the tough competition between the champion Marco Arop and the Kenya-based runner.

The intense competition between Kenya and Canada

The 800m Diamond League Finals served every element of thrill to its pursuers. It was an extremely close call between Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Canada’s Marco Arop. However, it was a well-deserved win.

In the initial stage of the race, Navasky Anderson of Jamaica started at a good pace. He came through the first quarter in 49.19. But it wasn’t too late until Arop kicked in with this outstanding speed.

It was very evident that the Canadian pushed strong to reach the lead, but Wanyonyi, after finishing behind Arop in Budapest, had some different plans. The Kenyan left his counterparts in his wake and crossed the finish line first, attaining his first Diamond League trophy.

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Arop secured the second position. He finished in 1:42.85, attaining the national record, and following him was Algeria’s Djamal Sedjati, who crossed the finish line at 1:43.06. It was his personal best this season.

America attained the sixth place by clocking 1:44.63 with Bryce Hoppel. With Wanyonyi winning his first Diamond League Final, there is so much more waiting for him.

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