Emmanuel Wanyonyi Maps Out Perfect Moment to Shatter Rudisha Legacy

Kenyan track sensation Emmanuel Wanyonyi has opened up about why he is not in a hurry to shatter David Rudisha’s iconic 800m world record, despite his meteoric rise and dominant performances on the circuit.

On Friday night, Wanyonyi produced a masterclass at the Monaco Diamond League, clocking a world-leading 1:41.44 to win the men’s 800m and break the meeting record at Stade Louis II.

The blistering run cemented his position as the fastest man over two laps this year and sent a clear signal that Rudisha’s legendary mark of 1:40.91—set during the 2012 London Olympics—may soon face a serious challenge.

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Yet for all the excitement surrounding his performance, Wanyonyi remains cautious about launching an all-out assault on the record. The 20-year-old insists that the physical and mental toll of chasing history demands perfect preparation and timing.

"Sometimes I am thinking about world record. I think I can break it in the future. Focus in now on the prepartions for the next races before the World Championships," Wanyonyi said after his emphatic victory.

"I came to run a season's best and a meeting record. I came prepared. I gave my best today so I am happy with the result. 800m in now very competitive so I need to push even harder than usual on my trainings," he added.

The Monaco triumph also solidified Wanyonyi’s lead in the Diamond League standings, where he now sits comfortably at the top with 30 points.

Behind him in Friday’s showdown, American Josh Hoey clocked a personal best of 1:42.01 for second place, and Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati finished third in 1:42.20. World and Olympic champion Marco Arop of Canada, one of Wanyonyi’s fiercest rivals, faded to fifth in 1:42.73.

Looking ahead, Wanyonyi hinted that any attempt on the world record will be carefully planned around next year’s championship season.

Wanyonyi's coaches are expected to design a program allowing him to peak precisely when it matters most, likely targeting the 2025 campaign as the right time to make history.

Until then, the rising star seems content to keep building toward the perfect moment—one blistering performance at a time.