Kenyan athletics stars Emmanuel Wanyonyi, Julius Yego, Timothy Cheruiyot, Phanuel Koech and Faith Cherotich will be in action at the penultimate leg of the 2026 Diamond League circuit in Zurich on Thursday.
Fresh from securing his maiden Diamond League victory of the season, Wanyonyi will be eager to extend his winning streak as he builds momentum towards the Diamond League Final in Brussels and the World Ultimate Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
The Olympic and world 800m champion was in top form at the Lausanne Diamond League over the weekend, storming to victory in 1:42.19 in his trademark two-lap race.
He outkicked Algerian Djamel Sedjati, who clocked 1:42.31 for second, while American Brandon Miller completed the podium in 1:42.56.
Although it marked his first league win of the year, Wanyonyi admitted the race demanded every ounce of tactical discipline.
“The race was very difficult,” Wanyonyi remarked.
More importantly, Lausanne provided the 22-year-old with valuable lessons ahead of Zurich, the Diamond League Final and the World Ultimate Championships.
Traditionally, the Kenyan prefers to seize control from the gun and dictate the pace, but in Lausanne, he opted for a patient approach, sitting behind the leaders before launching his decisive attack.
“I learnt to sit back and just wait before kicking. I didn’t want to go in front and push the pace because it was a high pace. I sat back and followed,” Wanyonyi said.
“In the last 200m I came out and pushed. My body was also responding well.”
The performance has significantly boosted his confidence heading into the biggest races of the season.
“This has shown me that I am ready for the next race,” he said.
“I am ready for the Diamond League Final and Ultimate Championships. I will still need to prepare so I can do my best.”
Wanyonyi returns to a venue filled with golden memories, having clinched the 2025 Diamond League Final crown on the Zurich track.
Last year, he lifted the prestigious trophy in 1:42.37, edging Britain’s Max Burgin (1:42.42) and Canada’s Marco Arop (1:42.57).
He will be joined by Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Wyclife Kinyamal as the Kenyan pair squares up against Sedjati, Spain’s Mohamed Attaoui, Britain’s Jake Wightman and France’s Gabriel Tual.
In the men’s javelin, 2015 world champion Julius Yego will be chasing redemption after a disappointing Commonwealth Games campaign.
On July 30, Yego bowed out in the qualification round after managing 74.50m with his opening attempt.
His Diamond League season has also been below his usual standards, finishing fifth in Rabat (80.59m), seventh in Rome (79.89m) and sixth in Doha (82.22m).
The veteran thrower targets his first Zurich podium after several near misses, having finished fourth in 2012 (78.74m) and 2014 (84.71m), 10th in 2024 (69.61m) and fifth last year with 85.54m.
Kenya’s men’s 1,500m hopes will rest on the experienced and the rapidly emerging .
Cheruiyot boasts an outstanding Zurich pedigree, having won the meeting in 2017 (3:33.93), 2018 (3:30.27) and 2021 (3:31.37).
He also finished runner-up in 2022 (3:30.27), placed 11th in 2024 (3:33.13) and was fourth last year (3:30.13).
Koech, meanwhile, returns seeking another podium after his impressive third-place finish in last year’s edition, where he clocked 3:30.02.
The Kenyan duo will face a formidable field featuring France’s Azeddine Habz, Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Portugal’s Isaac Nader and a powerful American trio of Yared Nuguse, Cole Hocker and Hobbs Kessler.
In the women’s 3,000m steeplechase, reigning world champion will partner Doris Lemngole in Kenya’s hunt for more Diamond League honours.
Cherotich heads back to Zurich hoping to recreate last year’s memorable victory, when she produced a 8:57.24 finish to conquer the Letzigrund.
Meanwhile, Boaz Kiprugut, the 2024 African 1,500m silver medallist, will carry Kenya’s flag in the men’s 3,000m as he lines up against American distance aces Grant Fisher and Nico Young.
