Wanyonyi stuns World champion Arop to win 800m Diamond League trophy, Moraa finishes fourth
Athletics
By
Washington Onyango
| Sep 18, 2023
Emmanuel Wanyonyi is the men’s 800m 2023 Diamond League Trophy champion.
Wanyonyi stunned World champion Marco Arop of Canada to complete what is a successful season having won silver at the World Championships in Budapest.
The 19-year-old clocked a world-leading time 1:42.08 at the Prefontaine Classic, the final Diamond League Meeting in Eugene, USA.
Arop was forced to settle for second place in a national record time of 1:42.85 as Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati completed the podium in 1:43.06.
Commonwealth Champion Wycliffe Kinyamal finished a distant ninth-place finish, timing 1:46.33 after he failed to keep up with the breathtaking pace.
Meanwhile, World champion Mary Moraa finished fourth after being beaten in the final stretch by USA’s Athing Mu who ensured the women’s 800m title remained home.
Mu who won silver in Budapest clocked a national record of 1:54.97 followed by Keely Hodgkinson who also set a British national record after timing 1:55.19.
Goule-Toppin xcame third in 1:55.96 while Moraa finished with 1:57.42.