- In his career debut over the 1000-meter distance, Emmanuel Wanyonyi clocked a 2:11.83 at the Monaco Diamond League, shattering Noah Ngeny’s 27-year-old world record by 0.13 seconds.
- Up next, the Kenyan superstar returns to his signature 800-meter distance on Saturday, July 18, at the London Diamond League.
- After starting with a 1500m win in Nairobi and securing runner-up finishes in Rabat and Oslo, Wanyonyi finally wins a race at this season’s diamond league.
Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi cemented his legacy as one of the greatest middle-distance runners in history, shattering Noah Ngeny’s legendary 27-year-old world record in the men’s 1000 meters at the Monaco Diamond League on Friday evening.
The young Kenyan crossed the finish line in a blistering time of 2:11.83.
The historic run erased Ngeny’s previous global mark of 2:11.96, which had stood untouched since September 1999, and made Wanyonyi only the second man in human history to break the elusive 2:12 barrier over the distance.
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Great Britain’s Jake Wightman delivered a sensational performance of his own, storming across the line in a 2:12.96 to secure second place while not far behind, Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati rounded out the star-studded podium in third place with an incredible time of 2:13.96.
Following his world-record run in Monaco, Emmanuel Wanyonyi is shifting his focus back to his signature event,the 800 metres.
His next scheduled appearance will be at the London Diamond League meeting on Saturday, July 18.
He will be stepping back down to the 800 meters, setting up a massive clash against his primary rival, Canada’s Marco Arop.
The London race will be a major test for the newly crowned 1000m world record holder, as he aims to capture his first 800m Diamond League victory of the season and defend the London title he won last year.
After opening his campaign with 1500m victory at the Kip Keino Classic on home soil, the reigning Olympic champion faced a string of 800m defeats, finishing as a narrow runner-up in Rabat.
He was subsequently scheduled to clash with a fierce field at the Stockholm Diamond League but pulled out of the race to fly home for the the birth of his newborn daughter, Noellah.
Returning to the track shortly after, he claimed another second-place finish in Oslo before culminating his return in spectacular fashion.
Stepping up to the 1000 meters for the first time in his career in Monaco, Wanyonyi completely dismantled a 27-year-old world record to claim his most monumental victory of the season.
Meanwhile, Agnes Jebet Ngetich announced herself in style, storming to victory in the women’s 3,000m with a sizzling 8:08.95, the world’s fastest time this season and the third best ever run.
She left Ethiopia’s Aleshign Baweke (8:23.81) and Senayet Getachew (8:24.02) in her dust, with Faith Kipyegon trailing in fourth.
Ngetich now sits just three seconds shy of Wang Junxia’s legendary world record. A dominant opener to her track campaign, and a loud statement: Kenya’s distance queen is well and truly back.