Emmanuel Wanyonyi competes in the men's 800m heats/ HANDOUTOlympic 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi says he will treat Thursday's World Championships semifinal with the seriousness it deserves to avoid a possible banana skin at the Tokyo National Stadium here in Japan.
Wanyonyi, who clinched silver at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, described the semifinal as the most dangerous phase of the two-lap event.
“This is where we all get serious; otherwise, one risks being left out at the semi-final stage,” he said.
“Personally, I must go through the semis to be sure of the final. Most of you believe once you get through the heats, semis are easy; that isn’t the case.”
Wanyonyi highlighted the critical role of time in qualifying for the final, saying runners can miss out even after finishing in top positions if their times are not fast enough.
“You can finish fourth and still be locked out on account of time. So if you are featuring in semis, you must give it your all, even if it means killing yourself on the finish. It is better to miss the position but have the right time to sail through.”
The 21-year-old warned against overconfidence based on Diamond League form, noting the stark contrast between circuit racing and championship competition.
“The fact that one has been doing well in the Diamond League doesn’t guarantee anything at the World Championships. These are two different ball games, hence you need to remain focused,” he said.
“In the Diamond League, we run one straight final, and that is it; while in championships, we have to go through several stages.”
He also pointed out the added strain of weather and recovery.
“In the championships, besides going through three stages—preliminary, semis, and finals—you must also cope with the harsh weather conditions that come with it.”
Wanyonyi, who claimed silver in Budapest in a time of 1:44.53 behind Canada’s Marco Arop (1:44.24), enters Tokyo as the fastest man in the world this year, thanks to his sensational 1:41.44 victory at the Monaco Diamond League. That time remains the only sub-1:42 performance globally in 2025.
His latest triumph came at the Zurich Diamond League final, where he clocked 1:42.37 to outkick Britain’s Max Burgin (1:42.42) and world champion Arop (1:42.57), sealing a third consecutive Diamond League trophy after wins in 2023 (1:42.80) and 2024 (1:42.70).
Despite his current form, Wanyonyi admitted that the semifinal has historically posed a challenge for him.
“My problem has always been to navigate through the semis, and once that is done, I will be fine for the final,” he said.
Wanyonyi also acknowledged the toll of a packed calendar.
“This year will be very tough for many 800m runners. The season was very long, considering they had to finish the Diamond League first. This means most people are already tired.”
He believes the key to survival lies beyond physical form.
“If you are not mentally strong, it will be very difficult for you to survive, especially in this kind of weather.”
His 2025 campaign began with a 2km cross-country victory in Eldoret, clocking 6:14, followed by a strong performance at the Kingston Grand Slam on April 6, where he won the 1500m in 3:35.18 and placed second in the 800m (1:46.44). On April 26, he secured a mile win at the Adidas Adizero Road to Records meet in 3:52.45.
Wanyonyi opened his Diamond League season with a third-place finish in Rabat (1:43.37) and went on to claim wins in Oslo (1:42.78), Stockholm (1:41.95), Monaco, and London (1:42.00), and finished second in Lausanne (1:43.29).
Now, with focus, form, and firepower on his side, the Kenyan prodigy will look to safely navigate the semifinal minefield in Tokyo—and stake his claim for a world title upgrade.
