Emmanuel Wanyonyi Shines in Lausanne, Narrowly Misses World Record in Electrifying 800m Race
At the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Lausanne, Kenya's 20-year-old Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi delivered an awe-inspiring performance in the men's 800m race, clocking an astonishing 1:41.11. This exceptional time propelled him to joint second on the world all-time list, narrowly missing the world record of 1:40.91 set by his compatriot David Rudisha during the 2012 London Olympics. The event at the Stade Olympique de la Pontaise was packed with thrilling moments, including Jakob Ingebrigtsen's satisfying revenge victory over Cole Hocker, the American runner who had recently claimed his 1500m title in Paris. The crowd was also treated to a blistering 100m win by Dina Asher-Smith, while Olympic champion Grant Holloway faced a rare setback in the 110m hurdles. The men's javelin competition was equally captivating, with standout performances from Anderson Peters and Neeraj Chopra.
Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi won the men’s 800 metres with 1:41.11 in the fourth fastest ever time in the world in front of 13000 enthusiastic spectators who packed the Stade Olympique de la Pontainse in Lausanne. Wanyonyi tied Wilson Kipketer as the second best performer in history behind David Rudisha’s three performances.
Wanyonyi set a world seasonal lead, a Diamond League record, a meeting record. Wanyonyi improved his PB of 1:41.19 set in the Olympic final in Paris. The Kenyan 20-year-old missed David Rudisha’s world record by 0.1. World champion Marco Arop from Canada finished second in 1:41.72 ahead of French record holder and European champion Gabriel Tual (1:42.30), world indoor champion Bryce Hoppel (1:42.63). Pietar Sisk from Belgium placed fifth in 1:43.48 ahead of European bronze medallist Catalin Tecuceanu from Italy (1:44.07) and Elliot Giles from Great Britain (1:44.32).
Emmanuel Wanyonyi: “I am happy to have run that crazy time in Lausanne. Improving my PB once again setting the world lead today in Lausanne, is very good. I really loved the crowd here in Lausanne and I hope for the best for my next race in Silesia”.
Men’s 1500 metres:
Olympic 5000 metres champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen claimed his third consecutive win in the men’s 1500 metres in Lausanne setting a meeting record with 3:27.83. Ingebrigtsen avenged his defeat in the Olympic final beating Olympic champion Cole Hocker, who dipped under the 3:30 barrier with 3:29,85. USA’s Hobbs Kessler crossed the finish-line in 3:30.47 ahead of 2019 world champion Reynold Cheruyiot (3:30.88). Jochem Vermeulen set the Belgian record with 3:31.74.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen: “It’s been almost two weeks since Paris, so there was plenty of time to recover. For me it has been mental including going home, taking some easy days and then getting back to work. Tonight’s race gave me good answers and I am looking forward to building on this for my next race on Sunday in Silesia”.
Men’s pole vault (City Event):
Olympic champion and world record holder Armand Mondo Duplantis won the pole vault with a meeting record and a Swiss all-comers record with 6.15m in the City Even held in Place de la Navigation on the shores of the Leman Lake in front of enthusiastic and knowledgeable crowd.
Duplantis had a clean sheet clearing 5.62m, 5.82m, 5.92m and 6.00m in his first attempt. After securing the win at 6.00m Duplantis asked for the bar to be raised at 6.15m. The Swede needed three attempts to clear this height.
Armand Duplantis: “I was getting quite tired but I am very thankful to the crowd. I love jumping here. I had an amazing time last year and an even more amazing time this year. It’s always nerve-wracking when you have a big performance like I did at the Olympic Games. I stepped out on the track and I really loved it”.
Olympic silver medallist Sam Kendricks placed with 5.92m. Kendricks cleared 5.35m, 5.52m, 5.62m, 5.72m, 5.82m and 5.92m in his first attempt before failing three attempts at 6.00m.
Sam Kendricks: “I rode the wave of a lot of great competitors today. I really enjoy competing In Lausanne. I have jumped here every year since 2016 and I have always performed well”.
Sondre Guttormsen, Kurtis Marshall and Ernest John Obiena shared third place with 5.82m after clearing all heights at their first attempt. Olympic bronze medallist Emmanouil Karalis cleared 5.52m and 5.72m in his first attempt but he needed two attempts at 5.82m. Seven-time Diamond League champion Renaud Lavillenie improved his seasonal best to 5.72m to finish eighth.
Men’s 200 metres:
Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo won the men’s 200 metres for the second consecutive edition of Athletissima in 19.64 on the very fast track of the Stade Olympique de la Pontaise. Erryion Kinghton placed second in 19.78 beating Olympic 100m bronze metres champion Fred Kerley, who improved his seasonal best to 19.88 ahead of Olympic finalist Alexander Ogando, who set a seasonal best of 19.94.
Letsile Tebogo: “It was a great race for me today in Lausanne. To be able to return here the following year is very cool for me. I think the most important thing for me is that even after such achievements like the ones I did at the Olympics, at the end of the day you just have to keep running to maintain the form throughout the season”.
Men’s javelin throw:
Two-time world champion Anderson Peters from Grenada saved the best for last setting the meeting record of 90.61m (his best throw since 2022) in the Final 3 to secure the win in the men’s javelin throw. Peters had taken the lead with a second-round throw of 88.49m. World champion Neeraj Chopra from India came close to the 90 metres barrier with a seasonal best of 89.48m to take second place.
Women’s 100 metres hurdles:
Jasmine Camacho Quinn, Olympic bronze medallist in Paris 2024, won the women’s 100 metres hurdles for the second consecutive edition of Athletissima the day after her birthday equalling her own seasonal best with 12.35. The Puerto Rican hurdler has claimed her third Diamond League season following her victories in Xiamen and Suzhou. Olympic finalist Grace Stark finished second edging Jamaican Trials champion Ackera Nugent with the same time of 12.38. Nadine Visser took fourth place in 12.49.
Jasmine Camacho Quinn: “Even though I did not feel like I was running all out, I am still winning and running great so I will take it. As a veteran I just show up, do the job, and I aim to do better next time. As I am a vet I know what to expect from Lausanne, an amazing crowd”.
Women’s 400 metres hurdles:
World and European champion Femke Bol claimed her fourth consecutive win in Lausanne setting a meeting record of 52.25. Bol won her third Diamond League race this season following Stockolm and London.
Jamaican Trials champion Rushell Clayton finished second in in 53.32 ahead of her compatriots Janieve Russell (54.48) and Andrenette Knight (54.93).
Femke Bol: “I am still in good shape, with no injuries or sickness, which is really positive.The race today was super with a meeting record. The 4x400 mixed relay at the Games was all about going for a medal. When I got the baton and saw where the others were, I knew that was doable. I pushed hard in the final 200 metres, and the energy and my teammates was incredible. It was an emotional experience, especially after such a challenging season, and celebrating together with everyone made it even more special”.
Women’s 100 metres:
European champion Dina Asher Smith from Great Britain stormed to a win in the women’s 100 metres in 10.87 claiming her first Diamond League win abroad for three years. Tamari Davis also dipped under the 11 seconds to finish second in 10.97 ahead of European 200m champion Mujinga Kambundji (11.06) and last year’s Athletissima winner Marie Josée Ta Lou from Ivory Coast (11.07).
Dina Asher Smith: “It’s always great to be in Switzerland and the Swiss crowd is so warm and welcoming. After the Olympics I took some time to refocus and now I am enjoying running, feeling fit and injury free. I am excited to push on to the next two meets in Silesia and Zurich where the track and atmosphere is amazing. There is always chocolate in Switzerland”.
Men’s 400 metres:
Olympic silver medallist Matthew Hudson Smith from Great Britain won his third Diamond League race of the season in 43.96. Hudson Smith dipped under the 44 seconds barrier for the third time this summer after his European record of 43.44 in the Olympic final in Paris and 43.74 at the London Diamond League meeting. Olympic bronze medallist Muzala Samukonga from Zambia gave Hudson Smith a run for his money in the final 30 metres and was rewarded with a second place in 44.06. Collen Busang Kebiatshipi from Botswana, Olympic silver medallist in the men’s 4x400 relay, placed third in a lifetime best in 44.22 ahead of Bryce Deadmon (44.37) and Charles Dobson (44.53).
Matthew Hudson Smith: “I want to consistently be one of the best ever and run consistently under 44 seconds. My goal is to win the Olympic gold medal and to be mentioned alongside Michael Johnson and Jeremy Wariner. I don’t see myself as one of the best as long as I don’t get the Olympic gold medal and breaking the 43 seconds barrier. It’s all about consistency, winning and never giving up”
Women’s 3000 metres:
Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji smashed the meeting record in the women’s 3000 metres, improving the previous mark by almost five seconds with 8:21.50. Janeth Chepngetich from Kenya placed second in 8:23.48. Tsigie Gebreselema from Ethiopia took third place setting a PB of 8:24.40. Emily Cranny from the USA also set her lifetime best with 8:25.10.
Diribe Welteji: “I am very happy with my time. It’s incredible. The conditions in Lausanne were perfect, truly great to be here. The crowd was big and I heard it a lot when I raced. I was happy at the end.
Men’s 110 metres hurdles:
Olympic champion Grant Holloway looked set to take a win in the 110 metres hurdles, but Olympic silver medallist Rasheed Broadbell from Jamaica snatched the win from the US hurdler on the finish-line in 13.10. Holloway had to settle with second place in 13.14 ahead of Hansle Parchment ahead of Jamaica (13.23), Daniel Roberts and Lorenzo Simonelli, who clocked the same time of 13.26. Broadbell had already won in Lausanne in 12.99 in 2022 beating Holloway, who has never won at this meeting.
Rasheed Broadbell: “It felt really great to win here. I am undefeated in Lausanne. The atmosphere here is always fantastic. I love everything about this place from the view to the place. It’s a pleasure to come here and put on a show and I think I did today. Even though I ran 13.10 here compared to 13.09 in Paris, the race felt better because I knew I had after the last hurdle. I could haver
Women’s 800 metres:
World champion Mary Moraa claimed her second consecutive win in the women’s 800 metres in 1:57.91 securing her qualifying spot for the Diamond League final in Brussels. Olympic 1500m silver medallist Georgia Bell continued her great season with a second place in 1:58.53 ahead of world indoor silver medallist Jemma Reekie, who also qualified for the Diamond League final with her third place in 1:58.73 ahead of Halimah Nakaayi from Uganda (1:58.99).
Mary Moraa: “I am thrilled to return here in Lausanne, and to perform at this level again. It was a very good race and I executed it well. I am thankful for the race. I am extremely happy of how it all went out”.
Women’s shot put:
Double world champion Chase Jackson claimed her fourth Diamon League win of the season with a mark of 19.64m in the third round. Olympic champion Yemisi Ogunleye from Germany took second place with 19.55m beating world indoor champion Sarah Mitton (19.52).
Chase Jackson: “I am super happy to have done my seasonal best. I am super focused in Brussels. I did not take any time off after the last event. I just went straight back to training. My goal is to win another world title and keep pushing myself. I know I can go further, much further, so I am working hard on my technique to excel at the World Championships”.
Women’s high jump:
Olympic champion and world record holder Yaroslava Mahuchik from the Ukraine cleared all heights at 1.92m, 1.96m and 1.99m to claim her third Diamond League competition of the season. Mahuchik was the only athlete to clear 1.99m. Eleanor Patterson from Australia, world champion in Eugene 2022 cleared 1.96m before failing three attempts at 1.99m.
Yaroslava Mahuchik: “It was really a joyful competition, and I loved the energy of the stadium, especially with so many children here to support. Meeting them earlier in the city and see their interest in track and field gave me a special motivation. Even though I made a few mistakes, I am happy to compete here and show the strong power of Ukrainians.
Men’s long jump:
Olympic, world and European champion Miltiadis Tentoglou leapt to 8.06m in the final attempt of the competition to snatch the win away from Jamaica’s Wayne Pinnock (8.01m) in the men’s long jump. European bronze medallist Simon Ehammer from Switzerland took third place with 7.99m.
Women’s 4x100 relay:
The British team formed by Dina Asher Smith, Desiré Henry, Briana Williams and Amy Hunt won the women’s 4x100 relay in a meeting record of 42.03. Switzerland (Salomé Kora, Sarah Atcho, Leonie Pointet, Mujinga Kambudji) came close to the national record with 42.16.
Women’s 100 metres (B race):
USA’s Jenna Prandini won the women’s 100 metres B race in 11.24 ahead of Boglarka Takacs from Hungary (11.35) and Amy Hunt from Great Britain (11.36).
Women’s 800 metres (B race):
Lorea Ibarzabal from Spain won the women’s 800 metres B race in 2:01.31 beating Lore Hoffmann from Switzerland (2:01.69).
Men’s 400 metres (B race):
Ricky Petrucciani from Switzerland, European silver medallist in Munich 2022, took the win in the men’s B race in 45.83.
