Wanyonyi, Marco Arop renew rivalry in Kingston

Canada's Marco Arop and Kenya's Emmanuel Wanyonyi cross the finish line in the men's 800m final of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 10, 2024. [AFP]

The world's super-fast middle-distance athletes are kicking off the outdoor season with a gigantic battle in Kingston, Jamaica.

Kenya's Emmanuel Wanyonyi, an Olympic 800m gold medallist will once again take on his Canadian rival and world champion Marco Arop as the inaugural Grand Slam Track contest enters day two.

But the two strong contenders are not racing in their 800m specialties tonight.

They are taking their head-to-head to the 1500m, before renewing their rivalry in the two-lap race at the final day of the first Grand Slam Track meet in Jamaica.

Last season, Wanyonyi and his top challenger, Arop battled for honours in an Olympic year, and in 2025, they are firing warning shots ahead of the Tokyo World Championships in September.

They stole the shows in the 2024 track and field season.

Wanyonyi, who established himself as a middle-distance assassin, had a number of head-to-heads with Arop, but the 20-year-old Kenyan sensation triumphed where victory was badly needed.

He beat Arop to the Olympic title and then overpowered him in the race for the Diamond League title.

At the 2024 Paris Olympics in August, Wanyonyi held off Arop, whose kick at the final turn put him ahead of Wanyonyi briefly before he (Wanyonyi) reclaimed the lead in the final steps, leaving the Canadian to settle for silver on the biggest stage.

Wanyonyi has been getting ready for the 1500m distance with cross country 2km loops since the start of the season.

He cruised to the 2km loop at the national cross country championships in Iten in February

Last November, Wanyonyi clocked 05:50.6 to win the men's 2km loop at the Iten Cross Country meet, in what was a sprint finish between him and Kamar Etiang. And when he competed in the 1500m race in Kapsabet last month, Wanyonyi proved a double was possible.

The world 800m silver medallist won the 1500m race at the Athletics Kenya track and field meet in Kapsabet as he geared up for the Grand Slam Track.

Way back in 2018 while in Primary school, Wanyonyi was a dominant force in 400m, 800m and 1500m.

"I ran 1500m (in Kapsabet) because I need endurance for 800m and the body responded well. For now, I am preparing for the Grand Slam in Jamaica where I will run 800m and 1500m and then I will see how it turns out," he said after his victory in Kapsabet on March 15.

He continued: "Grand Slam will likely be more competitive than the World Championships because I will be doubling 800m and 1500m."

World champion Mary Moraa, who started with 800m last night, will be in the women's 1500m competition tonight. Olympian Susan Ejore will be redeeming herself after missing out on a podium place at the 2025 World Indoor Championships in Nanjing.