Wanyonyi's record ratified as he got ready for Brussels final

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When he chased glory in the blistering 800m race at the Diamond League finals in Brussels, Belgium last night, Emmanuel Wanyonyi achieved the most remarkable feat of his athletics career so far.

The Olympic and world 800m champion carried an official 1000m world record, which he set at the Monaco Diamond League on July 10.

World Athletics ratified the 2:11.83 new record on Thursday, just a day ahead of last evening’s hunt for Diamond League glory, popularly known as the Allianz Memorial Van Damme.

During the historic July moment, Wanyonyi became the first athlete in almost 27 years to break the men’s 1000m world record.

Making his debut in the distance, Wanyonyi followed the pacemakers through 400m in 50.95 and 800m in 1:45.11 before making his way to the leadership position.

He held off a strong challenge from Britain’s Jake Wightman on the final lap to win in the 2:11.83 record, with Wightman finishing second in 2:12.77.

Wanyonyi’s performance chipped 0.13 off the previous world record of 2:11.96 set by legendary 800m star Noah Ngeny in Rieti, Italy on September 5, 1999.

Last night, Wanyonyi competed with, among others stars, 2023 world champion Marco Arop of Canada and Algerian sensation Djamel Sedjati.

Even before his 1000m record, Wanyonyi says he sat down with his coach and planned for last night’s showdown and the upcoming Ultimate Championships.

He secured his victory in Zurich last week and attributed it to crowds that he described as amazing and weather conditions that he said were ideal for a super speed.

“The stunning race in Zurich showed me that I’m still there and still moving. I’m still focused. After Brussels, I will think about the Ultimate Championships,” Wanyonyi, who before last night had won the Diamond League titles in 2023, 2024 and 2025, said.

He went on to say: “Before I started the race, I felt a stomach upset but I still managed to run well. I think my body is returning to a good form.

“This was the first time I ran the 1.000m, and directly breaking the World Record makes me so happy. I want to thank the other athletes for pushing me to my limit. I don´t want to talk about the World Record in the 800m. I first want to run fast and improve my personal best. Let me keep quiet, actions speak louder than words. I have decided to not run too much this season because I want to run very fast at the end of the season.”

His record was ratified alongside that of Jacob Kiplimo, who achieved his 57:20 half marathon time at the Lisbon Half Marathon on March 8, after returning to the city where he had set his first world record for the distance in 2021.

Kiplimo’s record had, however, been obliterated by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who held the previous record, before it was ratified.

The Ethiopian long-distance star clocked 56:51 at the Media Maratón Ciudad de Buenos Aires on August 23 to take 29 seconds off Kiplimo’s mark. Kejelcha’s 56:51 record is subject to the set ratification procedure.

The Diamond League final enters day two tonight, with Kenyan stars yearning for more glory in the men’s 3000m steeplechase and 5000m, as well as the women’s 1500m, campaigns, which will be spearheaded by Commonwealth champion Edmund Serem, Nicholas Kemboi and world silver medallist Dorcus Ewoi, respectively.

World 3000m steeplechase champion Faith Cherotich was among race favourites who contested for Diamond League crowns last night.