Emmanuel Wanyonyi, Marco Arop to renew rivarly in Lausanne Diamond League
By Amanga Collins, August 19, 2024Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi, the newly crowned Olympic champion, will face off against Canada’s world champion Marco Arop in the men’s 800m at the 11th leg of the 2024 Wanda Diamond League, set for August 22, 2024, at Athletissima in Lausanne.
With the Paris 2024 Olympic Games now concluded, the world’s elite athletes are returning to action in the Wanda Diamond League, reigniting fierce rivalries.
Emmanuel Wanyonyi gold win
Wanyonyi and Arop will renew their rivalry after a thrilling race in Paris, where Wanyonyi claimed Olympic gold with a spectacular performance.
Wanyonyi’s winning time of 1:41.19 in Paris made him the third-fastest performer in history, behind only world record-holder David Rudisha and Wilson Kipketer.
Rudisha’s record of 1:40.90, set during his iconic victory at the 2012 London Olympics, still stands.
At just 20 years old, Wanyonyi made history as the youngest ever winner of the Olympic 800m event, leading a race of unprecedented depth. He narrowly held off Arop, whose powerful kick off the final turn briefly put him in the lead before Wanyonyi surged ahead in the final strides. Arop’s time of 1:41.20 set a North American record and earned him the silver medal, while Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati claimed bronze in 1:41.50.
Wanyonyi’s victory extended Kenya’s remarkable streak of five consecutive Olympic gold medals in the men’s 800m, a tradition that began in 2008 and has seen multiple Kenyan men reach the podium in London, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo.
The race in Lausanne is highly anticipated, as the rivalry between Wanyonyi and Arop continues to captivate the athletics world. Their last encounter was at the World Championships in Budapest, where Arop took gold, but Wanyonyi proved his resilience by outlasting the Canadian in Paris.
In addition to the Wanyonyi-Arop showdown, the Lausanne meet will feature other star athletes, including Letsile Tebogo, Mondo Duplantis, and Dina Asher-Smith. The full entry lists have been published, showcasing a wealth of Olympic medallists, world record holders, and national superstars set to compete at the Stade de la Pontaise.
Swiss athletes
Swiss athletes will also be in action, with Mujinga Kambundji facing Jasmine Camacho-Quinn in the women’s 100m hurdles, and Simon Ehammer taking on Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou in the long jump.
Pole vault superstar Mondo Duplantis, fresh off his 6.25m world record in Paris, will compete in a city event on August 21.