Fingers will be crossed as the search for gold in the World Athletics champions 800 m finals goes down this Saturday, September 20, 2025, in Tokyo.

The race will see Kenya seek to add to its gold medal with the reigning Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi facing a competitive field against African rivals and European opposition.

The Olympic champions will face a star-studded line after he qualified as the sole representative for Kenya only in the semifinals on Thursday, September 18, 2025.

African opposition

The Kenyan will play in lane five for the finals, with Canada’s Marco Arop, Algerian Djamel Sedjati, and Max Burgin of Great Britain among those tipped to give the Kenyan a run for his money.

Others in the star list are Tsephiso Masalela of Botswana and Jamaica’s Navasky Anderson whi will join the three African athletes that impressed in last year’s Olympic final.

Wanyonyi will seek to continue Kenya’s dominance in the race that has been predominantly Kenyan.

Among those who have headlined the nation’s past in the race include David Rudisha, who dominated the event from 2011 to 2025, winning two Olympic titles and as many World Championship titles and Emanuel Korir, who snatched gold in the Tokyo 2020 games.

Meanwhile, Kenya will have a three-pronged attack for gold in the women’s 800 m finals.

Mary Moraa, Lilian Odira and Sarah Moraa all qualified in the hotly contested semifinal heats staged on Friday, September 19, 2025.

The 2024 Olympic 800m bronze medallist, Moraa bossed her heat in the semifinals to secure Kenya’s berth in the final.

Odira finished second in the respective heat to advance too.

Youngster Sarah Moraa guaranteed a Kenyan trio line-up after qualifying in her heats too.

The women’s 800 m finals will be staged on Sunday, September 21, 2025.