World and Olympic 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi will have an extra source of motivation when he takes to the track at the Oslo Diamond League on Thursday, fresh from celebrating the birth of his first child.
Speaking at the pre-race press conference, the reigning Olympic and world champion revealed the joyous news came after his appearance at the Rabat meeting on May 31. ”After running in Rabat, I went back home, and my wife had delivered our firstborn. I am so happy about that,” Wanyonyi said.
The Kenyan believes the Bislett Stadium track provides the perfect stage for fast times, drawing confidence from his victorious outing at the Norwegian meeting last season. ”This is my second time running in Oslo. I ran here last year when I was not feeling well and still managed to run 1:42. So it shows the track is fast,” he said.
Wanyonyi stormed to victory at last year’s Oslo Diamond League, stopping the clock at 1:42.78 despite not being at his best physically. Known for his fearless front-running style, the 800m star hinted that he would not hesitate to take charge of the race if the opportunity presents itself.
”If I find myself at the front, I will hold that pace to the finish so long as my body responds well,” he added.
The 21-year-old noted that the remarkable depth and speed currently being witnessed in the men’s 800m suggests that the long-standing world record of 1:40.91 set by David Rudisha in 2012 could soon be under serious threat. ”I believe now that anyone can run away with the world record,” said Wanyonyi.
Elsewhere, the Kenyan distance-running trio of African 5,000m bronze medallist Cornelius Kemboi, 2023 World 5,000m bronze medallist Jacob Krop and 2024 World U20 cross-country champion Ishmael Rokitto will be out to make their mark. Kemboi heads into the contest on the back of a mixed 2026 campaign.
The Kenyan distance ace opened his season at the Sirikwa Classic Cross Country Tour on February 14, finishing 35th in the senior men’s 10km race after clocking 31:00. He then shifted focus to the roads at the Lille 10K, narrowly missing out on a podium finish after placing fourth in 27:12.
That race saw Ethiopia’s Khairi Bejiga (26:51) lead Laban Kiptoo (26:59) and Cornelius Konor (27:06) onto the podium. Kemboi bounced back emphatically at the Kip Keino Classic on April 24, storming to victory in the 5,000m after crossing the line in 13:09.31.
His first Diamond League appearance of the season came in Shanghai on May 16 over 3,000m, where he narrowly missed the podium, finishing fifth in 7:27.46. Germany’s Mohamed Abdilaahi (7:25.77), Reynold Cheruiyot (7:26.11) and Sweden’s Andreas Almgren (7:26.48) occupied the podium places in that race.
Kemboi’s latest outing on the circuit came in Xiamen on May 23, where he lined up in the 5,000m and crossed the finish line in eighth place in 13:08.45. The Kenyan will be eager to produce a stronger showing than his previous appearance in Oslo in 2023, where he finished 13th in the 5,000m in 13:22.35.
Meanwhile, Krop launched his season indoors, securing back-to-back runner-up finishes over 3,000m in Germany at the Karlsruhe meet (7:38.64) and in France at the Meeting Hauts-de-France (7:34.68).
His outdoor campaign got underway at the Kip Keino Classic, where he clocked 13:13.59 to finish third in the 5,000m. He also featured in the 3,000m at the Shanghai Diamond League, placing eighth in 7:28.72.
Krop will equally be seeking redemption in Oslo after finishing 11th in last year’s 5,000m race despite clocking a respectable 12:51.16. Rokitto, on the other hand, began his season at the World Cross Country Championships, where he delivered a solid fifth-place finish in the senior men’s 10km race in 28:53.
The rising distance-running prospect then transitioned to the indoor circuit, contesting the 3,000m at the Karlsruhe meet in Germany, where he finished seventh in 7:40.82, before claiming second place at the Belgrade Indoor Meeting in 7:51.05.
At the Kip Keino Classic, Rokitto finished fourth in the 5,000m after posting 13:18.68. In Shanghai, he clocked 7:29.31 over 3,000m to finish 10th. His previous appearance in Oslo came in 2023, where he lined up in the 5,000m and finished eighth in 13:05.47.
