Emmanuel Wanyonyi Upsets Star-Studded Field to Claim First 800m Win of Season in Lausanne

Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi claimed his first 800m victory of the season in thrilling fashion at the Diamond League Meeting in Lausanne.

Canada’s Marco Arop initially dictated the tempo from the front, but his early aggressive strategy proved costly as he faded in the final stretch to finish fourth in 1:43.18.

Capitalising on the late surge, Emmanuel Wanyonyi held off a hard-charging field to cross the line first in a blistering 1:42.19.

Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati pressed closely behind to take second place with a season's best of 1:42.31. America's Brandon Miller rounded out the top four contenders, placing third in 1:42.55.

"I had a battle, especially over the final 100m, but I felt very strong, and I'm happy to have won the race. My legs were beginning to tighten, but I kept pushing all the way to the finish. I love competing at this Diamond League meeting in Lausanne because this stadium is one of the best for me. The track was very good and, although the weather was a little cool, the conditions were perfect," Emmanuel Wanyonyi said after the race.

On his part, Marco Arop admitted that the race did not unfold as he had hoped, revealing that he was already struggling to feel at his best during his preparations before the start.

Despite those concerns, the Canadian explained that he deliberately chose to take control of the race and establish a fast tempo from the early stages.

He acknowledged that the decision may not have been the most effective strategy given how he was feeling but he remained committed to his approach once he had decided to take the initiative.

Arop added that he will not allow the result to affect his outlook, stressing that his season still has several important races ahead.

"It didn't go very well. I wasn't feeling so good after the warm-up, but I wanted to push the pace. Maybe it wasn't the smartest move, but when I say I'm going to go for it, I go for it. The season isn't finished yet, and I still have some good races ahead of me over the next few weeks. My confidence remains high, and I'm still very happy," he said.

Emmanuel Wanyonyi put together an impressive 2026 campaign across multiple distances. He opened his season on home soil by winning the 1500m at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi with a time of 3:34.11.

Moving into his signature 800m discipline, Emmanuel Wanyonyi secured consecutive runner-up finishes in Diamond League action at Rabat (1:43.56) and Oslo (1:42.09), before claiming victory in the 1000m at Monaco in 2:11.83.

The reigning Olympic 800m champion rounded out his mid-season performances with a fourth-place finish in the 800m at the London Athletics Meet, clocking 1:43.31.