Wanyonyi triumphs in Lausanne as stars eye glory in Silesia
Sports
By
Stephen Rutto
| Aug 23, 2026
Measured steps and a tactical homestretch push decided the winner of the men’s 800m showdown at the Lausanne Diamond League in Switzerland on Friday night.
Two-lap greats had blazed around the Pontaise Olympic Stadium track, but it was Olympic and world champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi who stamped his authority.
The 800m thriller had kicked off with huge expectations of a memorable show, and that is exactly what the deep field, which included world gold medallist Marco Arop of Canada and rising star Djamel Sedjati of Algeria, served up to expectant fans.
However, Sedjati mounted the highest pressure on Wanyonyi in the closing stages of the hot contest in Lausanne.
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It was expected to be a battle that would have seen the bigwigs reach the 1:41 territory, but that could not be achieved at the Pontaise Olympic Stadium.
Wanyonyi won his first Diamond League 800m of the year in 1:42.19 after chasing down Arop and holding off a strong Sedjati.
Eventually, Sedjati took second place in a season-best 1:42.31, while Arop settled for third in 1:43.18.
Arop set off with a strong showing, racing behind the pacemaker until the bell.
The Canadian still could not surrender the lead after the 400m mark, which was reached in 48.86, but he could not sustain it and was overpowered by Wanyonyi and Sedjati in the home straight.
Wanyonyi was the favourite, given that he was fresh from setting a world 1000m record in Monaco, and the 800m victory was his second Diamond League meeting win of the season.
"I had a battle, especially over the final 100m, but I felt very strong and I´m happy to have won the race. My legs were beginning to tighten, but I kept pushing all the way to the finish. I love competing at this Diamond League meeting in Lausanne because this stadium is one of the best for me. The track was very good and, although the weather was a little cool, the conditions were perfect," Wanyonyi said after victory.
Second-placed Sedjati was happy with his performance despite not reaching his 1:41 target.
"I'm happy with my performance in Lausanne. It was only my second 800m this season, and my goal would be to get in that 1:41 space again," the Algerian star said.
World champion Lilian Odira was a distant seventh in the women’s 800m race, which was won by Swiss star Audrey Werro.
The women’s 3000m steeplechase had two favourites battling for the crown and perhaps historic times.
World champion Faith Cherotich and Olympic champion Winfred Yavi of Bahrain were set for a sizzling contest, but the latter—a Kenyan-born Bahraini, reigned supreme this time.
Cherotich had claimed victory at the Eugene meet last month, defeating Yavi, only for the Olympic champion to stamp her authority in Lausanne.
The Kenyan star promised to inject more tactical bits and energy at the Zurich meet this Friday. The show will be the last meeting before the final in Brussels on September 4-5.
"I'm happy about my race today in Lausanne, now my next stop is to compete in Zurich," said Cherotich.
Yavi said: “I´m very happy (for the performance). At the start I was a bit windy, and I was hungry for victory when I crossed the finish line. I enjoyed the support of the public, and I am looking forward to the next competitions.”
World bronze medallist Reynold Cheruiyot and world Under-20 record holder will be looking to shine in the men’s 1500m at the Silesia meet in Poland this evening.
Koech will be launching his comeback after shattering the historic record in Paris last year.
World 1500m silver medallist will be highlighting the star-studded women’s race.
Edmund Serem, who is fresh from leading Simon Koech and Leonard Bett to a 1-2-3 dominance for Kenya in the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 3000m steeplechase race last month, will be competing alongside his brother, former world Under-20 champion Amos Serem, in Silesia.