In a year that has produced many of history’s fastest men’s 800m times, Emmanuel Wanyonyi needed another blazing performance to win Olympic gold at the Paris 2024 Games on Saturday (10).
With his winning time of 1:41.19, the Kenyan became the third-fastest performer in history, behind only world record-holder David Rudisha and Wilson Kipketer. Rudisha’s record of 1:40.90, which doubles as the Olympic record from his victory in London in 2012, still stands.
At the age of 20, Wanyonyi became the youngest ever winner of the event in Olympic history, leading a race of unprecedented depth.
He held off Canada’s Marco Arop, the world champion, whose kick off the final turn put him ahead of Wanyonyi briefly before Wanyonyi took back the lead in the final steps. Arop ran a North American record of 1:41.20 for silver and Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati was third in 1:41.50.
With the gold medal, Wanyonyi – who emerged from Friday’s semifinals with the fastest qualifying time – kept alive a remarkable streak of five consecutive gold medals for Kenya in the men’s 800m. The streak began in 2008, and in London, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo, multiple Kenyan men claimed a medal.
Wanyonyi broke the stagger and ran for the front within 200 metres on his way to a 50.3-second opening lap until France’s Gabriel Tual took the lead at 500 metres. Entering the final curve, Wanyonyi took back the lead and began to pull away until Arop matched him stride for stride in the final straight. Their duel was a sequel to last year’s World Championships in Budapest, when Arop claimed gold. But this time, Wanyonyi had enough.
“Arop beat me last year because of experience,” Wanyonyi said. “He came from the back, then he beat me the last 20 metres. So, this time, nobody can beat me times two.”
Arop said: “In that moment, you just try to focus on your cues, you try to stay technical, try not to fall apart, and I did everything I could. It’s not the first time we’ve had a finish like that, Wanyonyi and I. He’s an incredible athlete. And you know, it’s not going to be the last time we have a race like that. Hopefully next time we race, it’ll be me on top, but I’ve got to give him credit where credit is due.”
The race was the first time in which four men have broken 1:42 and seven men have broken 1:43.
Bryce Hoppel became the first US athlete to ever run under 1:42 by finishing fourth in 1:41.67.
Anticipation for a potential world record followed the finalists to the starting line because during the previous month, Sedjati (1:41.46), Wanyonyi (1:41.58), Tual (1:41.61) and Spain’s Mohamed Attaoui (1:42.04) produced four of the nine fastest performances of all time in Monaco.
“I know these guys have been running 1:41 all year,” said Arop. “So I just imagined, if I keep myself in it, and finish strong, it’s gonna be incredibly fast.”
MEN’S 800m MEDALLISTS
🥇 Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN) 1:41.19
🥈 Marco Arop (CAN) 1:41.20
🥉 Djamel Sedjati (ALG) 1:41.50
By World Athletics