By Athletics Kenya Media Team
World and Olympic 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi underlined his dominance in the men’s two-lap race by powering to a fourth consecutive Diamond League Final trophy in sensational fashion, smashing the meeting record in Brussels.
The Kenyan ace seized control from the gun and never looked back, producing a flawless front-running masterclass to storm across the line in a blistering 1:41.80.
Wanyonyi comfortably fended off Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati, who finished second in 1:42.71, while France’s Yanis Meziane completed the podium in 1:42.87.
When did Wanyonyi first win Diamond League?
Wanyonyi first lifted the coveted Diamond Trophy in 2023 at the Prefontaine Classic final held at Hayward Field, producing a devastating finishing kick to clock 1:42.80 ahead of Marco Arop (1:42.85), while Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati completed the podium in 1:43.06.
He successfully defended the title in Zurich in 2024, storming to victory in 1:41.76 after holding off Sedjati (1:41.83), with fellow Algerian Slimane Moula taking third in 1:43.52.
The 22-year-old completed a remarkable hat-trick last year in Zurich, stopping the clock at 1:42.37 as Britain’s Max Burgin settled for second in 1:42.42, while Arop finished third in 1:42.57.
Wanyonyi stormed into the Brussels finale brimming with confidence after rediscovering his devastating rhythm following a turbulent start to the 2026 Diamond League campaign.
At the penultimate leg in Zurich on August 27, the Kenyan middle-distance sensation produced one of the performances of the season, cruising to a world-leading 1:41.76 in a commanding two-lap masterclass.
How Emanuel Wanyonyi performed in 2026 Diamond League
He was, however, forced to dig deep to repel relentless pressure from Sedjati, who crossed the line in 1:41.83, while Moula completed the podium in 1:43.52.
The Brussels victory capped an impressive resurgence after a frustrating opening to his Diamond League season.
He began the campaign with a runner-up finish in Rabat on May 31, clocking 1:43.56, before suffering another agonising second place in Oslo, where his 1:42.09 left him just one hundredth of a second behind American Cooper Lutkenhaus (1:42.08).
Wanyonyi responded in spectacular fashion in Monaco by obliterating the men’s 1,000m world record, clocking 2:11.83 to erase the 27-year-old mark of 2:11.96 set by compatriot Noah Ngeny in 1999.
Another setback followed in London, where he finished fourth in 1:43.31, before bouncing back emphatically in Lausanne with his first Diamond League 800m victory of the season in 1:42.19.
Cherotich reigns supreme with steeplechase meeting record in Brussels
Meanwhile, World 3,000m steeplechase champion Faith Cherotich stamped her authority on the Brussels Diamond League Final on Friday night, producing a masterclass to shatter the meeting record while successfully defending the Diamond League Finals crown she won last year.
Cherotich executed her race to perfection, stalking the leaders before unleashing a devastating final-lap surge to outkick Olympic champion Winfred Yavi of Bahrain and storm home in a meeting-record 8:51.61.
The victory also completed a memorable Kenyan 1-2 finish, with 2025 NCAA 3,000m steeplechase champion Doris Lemngole taking second in 8:52.86, while Yavi settled for third in 8:53.54.
Cherotich had lifted her maiden Diamond League Finals trophy in Zurich last year after clocking 8:57.24.
On that occasion, she produced a scintillating finishing kick to defeat Kazakhstan-born Norah Jeruto (9:10.87) and Tunisia’s Marwa Bouzayani (9:12.03).
That breakthrough triumph became the springboard for an even greater milestone, as the Kenyan went on to capture the World Championship title in Tokyo, stopping the clock at a brilliant 8:51.59.
Faith Cherotich’s 2026 form
The 22-year-old had arrived in Brussels riding a wave of outstanding form, having also orchestrated another Kenyan 1-2 finish in the penultimate Diamond League meeting in Zurich.
Cherotich powered to victory in 8:55.82, with Lemngole chasing her all the way to a personal best 8:55.94, while Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai completed the podium in 8:58.28.
Her Zurich triumph served as the perfect response after suffering a rare defeat to Yavi at the Lausanne Diamond League on August 21.
In Lausanne, Cherotich clocked 9:01.90 to finish second behind Yavi, who stormed to a meeting record 9:00.04, while Bouzayani claimed third in 9:05.55.
Cherotich has steadily gathered momentum throughout a remarkable 2026 campaign.
She opened her season on May 16 in Shanghai with a heartbreaking runner-up finish, clocking 8:51.48, just one hundredth of a second behind Chemutai’s winning 8:51.47.
A week later in Xiamen, she settled for third in 8:52.53, finishing behind Chemutai (8:51.06) and Yavi (8:51.54).
Her long-awaited Diamond League breakthrough finally arrived on July 4 at the Prefontaine Classic, where she outkicked Yavi and Bouzayani to claim her maiden victory on the circuit in 8:51.74.
Yavi finished second in 8:52.84, with Bouzayani third in 8:54.32.
Cherotich had also delivered one of the defining performances of her season by capturing the Commonwealth Games title in emphatic fashion on July 29.
She stormed to gold in a Games record 9:01.76, obliterating the previous mark of 9:15.68 set by compatriot Jackline Chepkoech at the 2022 Birmingham Games by more than 13 seconds.
