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Kenya’s 800m superstar Emmanuel Wanyonyi has conceded that he feels pressure ahead of the upcoming Olympic Games that will be held in Paris, France, this year.

The 19-year-old is already a senior world medallist, a world U20 champion, a world record holder, and a World Athletics award-winner, and he hopes to add more accolades at the Olympic Games that will run from July to August.

“The Olympics this year, it’s a lot of pressure for me. Everyone trains for the Olympics, so I expect this year’s Olympics to be very tough for me. I need to train, I need to commit,” Wanyonyi told World Athletics.

At his training base, the teenager brushes shoulders with some top stars, who will also be heading to Paris for the global showdown.

“My training mates, like Benson Kipruto and Evans Chebet (multiple major marathon winners), they told me: ‘Everything is possible’. If you believe and you are training well, if you are disciplined – everything is possible,” he continued.

Wanyonyi acknowledges how competitive team Kenya is and has also shared his personal target in Paris.

“I like my job. Kenya is very competitive. Of course, in 800m, it is very competitive for me. But I like competition. I like to compete. So, I need to focus on my training; getting on the team for the track at the Olympics is very tough.

“I need to train well; I need to focus and improve my time and my personal best,” he concluded.

Wanyonyi had a stellar season in 2023 and also received the men’s Rising Star honour at the World Athletics Awards, a year in which he also became a Diamond League champion and formed part of Kenya’s victorious world cross country mixed relay team.

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