Emmanuel Wanyonyi is the reigning Olympic Games men’s 800m champion. He was surprised to have made the list, saying he did not expect his achievements to be recognised in the same fashion it was done.
“I have to remain humble and focused because I still want to remain competitive for some years to come,” said Emmauel.
The 20-year-old claimed a memorable Olympic victory, leading from the front to breast the tape in a blistering time of 1:41.19. That time made him the third fastest man over the distance in history.
The soft-spoken athlete considers himself too young to be a mentor and, instead, he should be mentored. He, however, feels that his story could inspire other talented athletes from poor backgrounds.
"Life has not always been easy for me. That's why I developed the idea that whatever I do, I should make sure it doesn't affect me negatively or make me regret it."
“Life has not always been easy for me. That’s why I developed the idea that whatever I do, I should make sure it doesn’t affect me negatively or make me regret it,” he said.
Emmanuel dropped out of primary school because of lack of fees and became a herdsboy, earning meagre pay that supplemented the family income. A local teacher identified his running talent and helped him to return to school.
His breakthrough came in 2019 at the Regional Primary School Games in Kapsabet, Nandi County, where his performance impressed the principal of Kosirai High School who later enrolled him in the institution. He would later meet former women’s 800-metre world champion Janeth Jepkosgei who introduced him to his current coach, Claudio Berardelli.
Emmanuel’s meteoric rise to the top had started.
He shot to limelight after winning the 2021 World Under-20 Championships 800-metre gold at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, in Nairobi in a time of 1:43.76.
Then a budding 17-year-old, he finished a promising fourth in the men’s 800m at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon, US.
He made the podium in the next edition of the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, bagging a silver medal.
Due to lack of experience, he says, that will not happen at the 2025 championship in Tokyo, Japan.
“My good friend, Marco Arop, from Canada beat me because he had more experience and knew what to do in the final metres,” he says.
The Kenyan certainly knew what to do in winning the Paris Olympics gold a year later, virtually leading from gun to tap.
Emmanuel also retained his Diamond League at the Brussels Diamond League in Belgium in September, admitting this has been a bountiful year.
Athletics has drastically changed his life, he admits.
-Bernard Rotich