Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Faith Cherotich returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion as the Kenyan duo secured victories at the Zurich Diamond League on Thursday, 27 August.
Wanyonyi made it back-to-back Diamond League wins in the men’s 800m, holding off a late challenge from Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati in a thrilling finish in the Swiss capital.The world and Olympic champion, who had won the 800m in Silesia last Sunday, once again took the race by the scruff of the neck from the opening stages.
Wanyonyi led from the start and made an early move after the bell, opening a gap on his rivals as he looked to take control of the race.However, his aggressive approach nearly came back to haunt him in the closing stages. With 100 metres remaining, the Kenyan appeared to be running out of steam, allowing Sedjati to rapidly close the gap.The Algerian, the world silver medallist, launched a strong challenge in the final straight and pushed Wanyonyi all the way to the line. But the Kenyan held his nerve to narrowly prevail in a world-leading time of 1:41.76.
Sedjati finished second in a season’s best 1:41.83, while compatriot Slimane Moula completed the podium in 1:43.52.Kenyan Wycliffe Kinyamal also delivered an improved performance, finishing sixth in a season’s best 1:44.25.Wanyonyi’s Zurich time was a significant improvement on the 1:42.19 he clocked to win in Silesia last weekend, further underlining his form heading into the final stages of the season.
The victory also gives Wanyonyi considerable momentum ahead of the Diamond League season finale in Brussels, where he will seek to successfully defend his Diamond League Trophy.Cherotich bounces backFaith Cherotich also returned to winning ways in Zurich, claiming victory in the women’s 3000m steeplechase to respond immediately to her defeat in Silesia.The world champion had finished second to Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi in Silesia on Sunday, but she made sure there would be no repeat of that result in Zurich.
Cherotich briefly took command early in the race before allowing former Olympic champion Peruth Chemutai to move to the front. The Kenyan was content to stay close to the leaders and conserve her energy for the decisive stages.Her patience paid off in the final lap when the recently crowned Commonwealth Games champion made her move.However, Cherotich was made to work all the way to the finish line by compatriot Doris Lemngole, who produced a spirited challenge and threatened to snatch victory.
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Cherotich ultimately held on to win in 8:55.82, with Lemngole setting a personal best of 8:55.94 to finish second. Chemutai completed an all-Kenyan podium in 8:58.28.The victory was Cherotich’s second Diamond League win of the season, following her triumph at the Prefontaine Classic in July.She now heads into the Diamond League final with renewed confidence as she targets a second series trophy, although Yavi and the rest of the leading contenders will provide a stern challenge in Brussels.