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Olympic 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi explained how a fall during the Kenyan Olympic trials motivated him to change his race tactics, leading to his remarkable season.
Reigning Olympic 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi has recounted how a fall at the Kenyan Olympic trials redefined his season and propelled him to make the men’s 800m one of the most interesting races to watch.
In an interview with Sports Passion, Emmanuel Wanyonyi explained that he was used to running from behind in most of his races and would surge to the front with one lap to go or even the 100m stretch to the finish line.
However, his tactics at the Kenyan Olympic trials failed to work in his favour as he fell in the semifinal and could only afford a sixth-place finish. His team appealed for him to be included in the final where he changed his race tactics and ran from the front from gun to tape, taking the win in a time of 1:41.70, the fastest time then since David Rudisha’s retirement.
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14:54 - 30.09.2024
'The king has been in exile'- Disgraced Botswana star fires warning to Emmanuel Wanyonyi, Marco Arop & Co
Botswana’s Nijel Amos has sent a strong message to Emmanuel Wanyonyi, Marco Arop and Co as he targets a strong comeback in the 800m when he completed his doping ban.
“I think, according to me, during the Kenyan trials, I decided to run from the back in the semifinal then I fell down. Going into the final, I decided to run in the front from start to finish, then I managed to run 1:41.7 and it was a surprise to everyone including myself. Then I asked myself why I chose to run in the back the previous day and I thought it would be wise to always lead from the front,” Emmanuel Wanyonyi said.
Going into the men’s 800m at the Diamond League Meeting in Paris, the world 800m silver medallist was aware of the tough challenge that awaited him and he decided to employ his tactics but a few mishaps saw Djamel Sedjati take the win also clocking a faster time.
In the race, Emmanuel Wanyonyi managed to get a personal best time with his second-place finish and Gabriel Tual also managed a personal best time, running under 1:42. Wanyonyi clocked a stunning 1:41.58 to cross the finish line.
Going into the Olympic Games, Wanyonyi admitted that he knew he had a huge task awaiting him and had to give his all to ensure he made an impact. He worked hard in training and going to the Games, and his hard work and sacrifice were reflected in a win over Marco Arop and Djamel Sedjati.
“When we went to the Diamond League Meeting in Paris, I decided to run from the front again but the field was so strong. Sedjati, Tual and I ran 1:41 and it was a surprising turn of events. I ran a personal best time and I had not even won the race and I knew the Olympic Games would be tough with the presence of Sedjati and Arop. I went back to the drawing board and told my coach that we needed to work hard and I needed to run faster if I was to win the race,” Wanyonyi admitted.
After the Olympic Games, Wanyonyi had the gas to keep going as he claimed a win at the Diamond League Meeting in Lausanne and finished second behind Arop in Silesia. In Lausanne, he clocked the second-fastest time ever (1:41.11), tying with Wilson Kipketer.
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15:38 - 29.09.2024
Emmanuel Wanyonyi explains his rivalry with Marco Arop and Djamel Sedjati in quest to break David Rudisha's record
Wanyonyi has explained the differences between Djamel Sedjati and Marco Arop, describing the former, as more 'deadly' in the quest to eventually break David Rudisha's world record.
Emmanuel Wanyonyi went on to run a tactical race and claim the win at the Diamond League Meeting final in Brussels.
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