- Emmanuel Wanyonyi has explained how they struggled to get ideal meals during the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo 2025.
- He shared that they were repeatedly served light meals: mainly rice and spaghetti, for both lunch and dinner, until the Kenyan Ambassador to Japan, Moi Lemoshira, intervened.
- Wanyonyi was the only male Kenyan athlete to win a gold medal, contributing to Kenya’s overall tally of 11 medals.
Reigning Olympic and World men’s 800m champion, Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi, has revealed how his team had to seek help from the Kenyan Ambassador to Japan to get the ideal food during the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo 2025.
Wanyonyi secured his victory in a championship record time of 1:42.86, finishing ahead of Djamel Sedjati and Marco Arop, who placed second and third, respectively, back in September.
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Reflecting on this milestone, the 21-year-old told NTV’s Spot On that upon arrival, the team was consistently being served light meals, mainly consisting of rice and spaghetti for both lunch and dinner every day.
This continued until the Kenyan Ambassador to Japan, Moi Lemoshira, intervened, and they started receiving Kenya’s staple food, Ugali.
Emmanuel Wanyonyi reveals food struggles in Tokyo
“When we went to Japan, they used to feed us the same meal every day – rice and spaghetti for lunch and supper; that was the daily routine. But I want to thank the Kenyan Ambassador in Japan.
He came, we met him, he intervened and told us that whatever we wanted, we should have gone to the embassy to eat there. Whenever the schedule was tight, they would bring the food to the track,” Wanyonyi explained.
ALSO READ: Beatrice Chebet outsprints Faith Kipyegon to win 5000m gold in Tokyo World Championships
His comments come just weeks after Faith Kipyegon revealed that Wanyonyi had strongly protested the catering, and they subsequently managed to get the proper food, as she mentioned during remarks at the State House.
Wanyonyi explains how food impacts an Athlete’s mind and body
Wanyonyi stated that hearty food like Ugali was crucial for their performance, providing the necessary energy to run. He also noted that when such food wasn’t available, athletes had to manage, but it negatively impacted many.
Heavy food like Ugali helps so much because the light meals they were giving us affected some of the athletes. Sometimes, some don’t even bother going for the lunch hour meal.”
And sometimes, if there is no one to provide the ideal food you want, you have to eat what is given. But then again, you might opt out because many athletes feel pressure before a competition and skip the meal, which affects their performance.”
Wanyonyi was the only Kenyan male athlete to win a gold medal, contributing to Kenya’s overall tally of 11 medals. Seven of these were gold, with six coming from the female athletes who excelled at the event.
In addition to Wanyonyi’s gold, Kenya’s gold medalists in Tokyo included Beatrice Chebet (5,000m and 10,000m), Peres Jepchirchir (women’s marathon), Lillian Odira (800m), Faith Cherotich (3,000m steeplechase), and Faith Kipyegon (1,500m).
Silver medals were clinched by Faith Kipyegon and Dorcas Ewoi in the 1,500m, while Reynold Cheruiyot and Edmund Serem brought home bronze in the 1,500m and 3,000m steeplechase, respectively.