Emmanuel Wanyonyi made his 1000m debut in sensational style, running 2:11.83 to break the long-standing world record at the Meeting International d’Athlétisme Herculis EBS in Monaco on Friday, July 10, 2026.
With that performance at the Wanda Diamond League meeting, the Olympic and world 800m champion took 0.13 off the world record of 2:11.96 set by his Kenyan compatriot Noah Ngeny in Rieti in 1999.
It was a night of record-breaking performances at the Louis II Stadium. As well as Wanyonyi’s historic mark, meeting records and some of the fastest performances of all time were achieved by Agnes Ngetich, Julien Alfred, Collen Kebinatshipi, Masai Russell and Marileidy Paulino. Meeting records also fell in the field through Miltiádis Tentóglou in a long jump contest of record depth and Mondo Duplantis, while Nina Kennedy set a world-leading Oceanian record of 4.95m in the pole vault.
How Emanuel Wanyonyi broke the 1000m world record
Wanyonyi followed the pacemakers as the first, Patryk Sieradzki, reached 400m on world record pace in 50.95 as planned. The second pacemaker, Louey Ouerrat, hit 800m in 1:45.11 before Wanyonyi took over and stormed towards the finish, chased hard by 2022 world 1500m champion Jake Wightman.
Wanyonyi charged over the line in 2:11.83, Wightman followed him in 2:12.77 to move to fifth on the world all-time list and world and Olympic medallist Djamel Sedjati was third in 2:13.94 as the top six all dipped under 2:15.
“This was the first time I ran the 1000m and breaking the world record makes me so happy. I want to thank the other athletes who pushed me to my limit,” said Wanyonyi.
Agnes Ngetich on 3000m world all-time list
Agnes Ngetich also surged up the world all-time list, winning the 3000m in a meeting record of 8:08.95 – the third-fastest performance in history.
The athlete who sits second on that all-time list is her Kenyan compatriot Faith Kipyegon – the world 1500m and mile record-holder who achieved her mile mark in Monaco in 2023. The multiple global gold medallist was also in 3000m action but, continuing her comeback after a hamstring injury following her 5000m win in Shanghai in May, she finished fourth this time in 8:24.21 behind Ngetich, Aleshign Baweke in a PB of 8:23.81 and Senayet Getachew in a PB of 8:24.02.
It was a dominant run by Ngetich in her first track race of the year – a year she started by winning the world cross-country title in Tallahassee in January. Ngetich set off right behind the pacemakers in Monaco and followed Olympic silver medallist Jess Hull, who helped to pace Kipyegon to her 8:07.04 3000m in Silesia in August, as she hit 1000m in 2:41.85.
Ngetich took control with three laps to go and passed 2000m in 5:24.08. She slipped off world record pace over the last couple of laps but managed to hold on to become the third-quickest runner in history.
