'That's My Secret' - Emmanuel Wanyonyi Reflects on a Golden 2025 as He Teases His 2026 Ambitions

Emmanuel Wanyonyi cemented his status as a track and field superstar in 2025, a year that saw him crowned both World and Diamond League 800m champion.

His dominant season included four of the world's top six performances, highlighted by a world-leading time of 1:41.44 in Monaco.

The 21-year-old's crowning achievement came at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where he stormed to victory with a championship record of 1:41.86. This gold medal added to his Olympic title from Paris, further solidifying his place at the pinnacle of the sport.

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Just two years after receiving the Rising Star award, Emmanuel Wanyonyi was named the men's track athlete of the year at the 2025 World Athletics Awards.

"I’m so happy and excited," Emmanuel Wanyonyi told World Athletics. "I remember in 2023, I came here and I won the Rising Star of the year. Today, I am here again. I want to thank World Athletics for this journey. Second, I want to thank my fans a lot for the love they give me. I don’t have much to say, because I am so happy."

The 2021 world under-20 800m champion explained that he left nothing to chance in his pursuit of the world title in Tokyo.

"I didn't take this race for granted. I wanted to do everything to secure the gold," Emmanuel Wanyonyi added.

"The race was fast and hard. I prepared myself mentally for it. I wanted to run a fast race, that's why I went to the lead. I knew lactic acid was going to hit me.

"Now, I need to defend this title. I want to be a double world champion. Maybe I will start to think about the world record too. It may not happen now, but I also want to win gold in Los Angeles in 2028. That's the biggest goal."

Emmanuel Wanyonyi revealed that he received words of encouragement from 800m world record holder David Rudisha before his race in Tokyo.

"David told me: ‘I’m here to see you win this medal. Try to win’," Wanyonyi shared. He clarified that his focus was on victory, not records.

"I was coming to win a medal. I had a silver medal at the World Championships, so I was going in to try to win gold. I was not thinking about a world record."

The Kenyan star acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining his level in a fiercely competitive event, with the likes of Marco Arop and Djamel Sedjati also wanting a piece of the cake.

"It’s not easy to be consistent, to win the 800m, because it is so competitive. This means that my future is bright in the 800m," he noted. "If you want to run 800m very fast, you need to be focused, to be a strong athlete."

When asked about his goals for 2026, Wanyonyi remained tight-lipped. "In 2026, I want to run the 800m. For now, I can’t share with you my plans, because that’s my secret!"

As for his off-season, Emmanuel Wanyonyi is focused on recovery and building a foundation for the next season under his coach's guidance.

"After the World Championships in Tokyo, I went home to see my mum for two or three weeks and then I went back to my camp," he said. "For now, I’m starting to go on some long runs and build up."

Emmanuel Wanyonyi will be hoping to make a mark at the World Athletics Ultimate Championships next season as he builds up for title defence at the World Championships in Beijing and the LA 2028 Olympic Games.