Kenyan Wanyonyi breaks 1,000m world record in Monaco

Kenyan middle-distance star Emmanuel Wanyonyi made a stunning debut in the 1,000 meters, breaking a 27-year-old world record at the Diamond League meet in Monaco on Friday, July 10. The reigning Olympic and world 800-meter champion clocked a time of 2:11.83 at the Stade Louis II, shaving 0.13 seconds off the previous record of 2:11.96 set by his compatriot Noah Ngeny in 1999.

Wanyonyi was pushed hard by Great Britain's Jake Wightman, the 2022 world 1,500-meter champion, who finished second with a personal-best time of 2:12.77. That performance moved Wightman into fifth place on the all-time list for the distance. Algeria's Djamel Sedjati placed third in 2:13.94. The top six finishers all ran under 2:15.

"This was the first time I ran the 1,000m, and breaking the world record makes me so happy," Wanyonyi said after the race. He thanked his competitors for pushing him to his limit. The 21-year-old downplayed immediate talk of targeting the 800-meter world record next, stating his focus is on improving his personal best. "Let me keep quiet, actions speak louder than words," he said. He confirmed his next competition will be in London, adding that he plans a lighter racing schedule...