Emmanuel Wanyonyi: How Late Night David Rudisha Talk Inspired World Athletics Championship Record

Emmanuel Wanyonyi made history yet again winning gold in the men’s 800m at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in a stunning championship record of 1:41.86.

The 21-year-old Kenyan, who went into the race as the reigning Olympic champion, outpaced Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati and Canada’s Marco Arop in a thrilling finish that left fans on their feet.

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The victory marks Wanyonyi’s second major global title in as many years and cements his status as the successor to his mentor, David Rudisha, the world record holder over the distance. The results on Saturday night mirrored those of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, with Wanyonyi finishing just ahead of Arop and Sedjati in a near-identical order.

After the race, Wanyonyi revealed that it was a last-minute decision to run an aggressive race, inspired by Rudisha, which proved decisive.

“David Rudisha motivates me in my career. Last night we sat and talked for long. He told me to believe in myself and to go out there and win. He told me ‘if you run fast, you can win this race but if you are slow, you might lose the race. Continue believing in yourself. I want you to win this medal tomorrow.’ So I decided to run a fast race,” Wanyonyi said in an interview with Nation.

On the night, Wanyonyi led from the front, dictating the pace from the gun. He described his approach in detail: “I ran from the front so as to set the pace heading to the finish line. At one point Arop attempted to hijack the lead. I took off well, but Arop challenged me after 100 metres, and I reacted immediately and stayed at the front of the pack.”

It was in the final 100m that Wanyonyi shifted into top gear to fend off a fierce challenge from both Arop and Sedjati.

“I normally set a very fast 700 metres, then crank it up a bit in the last 100m. That worked for me today, but each race requires a different strategy depending on the conditions at play, and the nature of the opposition,” he said.

Wanyonyi’s triumph was particularly sweet, considering his long-running but healthy rivalry with Marco Arop.

The Canadian had beaten him at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, forcing Wanyonyi to settle for silver. But the young Kenyan turned the tables at the Paris Olympics in 2024 and has now done so again on the biggest stage in Tokyo.

“In Budapest, I had everything going for me – age, form and strength – but he (Arop) still beat me with experience,” Wanyonyi admitted.

“After Budapest, I said I would need experience to win. Then I went to a race in China (Xianmen Diamond League held on September 2, 2023) and I started winning.”

Wanyonyi is currently the second-fastest man ever over the distance, only behind his idol Rudisha, and confirms his place as the future of middle-distance running.

“I am so happy Rudisha was in the stadium to watch me run. He is my mentor. I fought hard to bring the medal home,” he said, proudly holding his gold medal on the podium.

Kenya’s golden night in Tokyo was complete as its athletes dominated across events, reaffirming the nation’s supremacy in middle-distance running and delivering one of the most memorable nights of the championships.