Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi made an announcement within the 800m last on the Kenyan Olympic Trials in Nairobi on Saturday. Wanyonyi ran the third-fastest 800m time in historical past, stopping the clock at 1:41.70, lower than a second behind David Rudisha’s world file of 1:40.91.
The 19-year-old nearly didn’t qualify for the finals after he was clipped and fell in Friday’s 800m semi-finals, the place he completed sixth. After Wanyonyi’s protest, officers superior him to Saturday’s last, conserving his Olympic desires alive.
Emmanuel WANYONYI didn’t look nice yesterday and was most likely fortunate to be within the last after inflicting the autumn within the semis. However wow, he seemed nice as we speak 1:41.71 🔥
 pic.twitter.com/pMowN9TXMH— fast8trackclub (@fast8trackclub) June 15, 2024
Wanyonyi’s 1:41.70 is the quickest 800m time because the 2012 London Olympics and a Kenyan soil file. Solely Rudisha and Wilson Kipketer have gone sooner. What’s much more spectacular is that his new private greatest time got here at altitude, as Nairobi sits almost 1,800m above sea stage. Kipketer’s and Rudisha’s instances had been run at sea stage.
The younger Kenyan star has been Marco Arop’s largest rival during the last two years, with the Canadian besting him final yr in Budapest to win gold. Wanyonyi received silver, however received his revenge towards Arop a month later on the 2023 Diamond League Last in Eugene, Ore., the place he ran his earlier private better of 1:42.80 (the quickest 800m time in 2023).
Arop has been undefeated in his 5 races to start 2024, however has not but confronted his younger Kenyan rival. The primary assembly between Arop and Wanyonyi might be on the Monaco Diamond League on July 12. Arop has already been introduced for the 800m in Monaco, and Wanyonyi, will possible head to Europe for a number of races in preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympics, the place the athletics portion begins Aug. 2.
