Historic run earns Wanyonyi multi-million payday
Olympics and world 800 metres champion, Emmanuel Wanyonyi of Kenya, will pocket a total of U$ 60,000 (Sh7.8 million) for breaking the world 1,000m record on Friday at the Monaco Diamond League.
Wanyonyi will get U$10,000 (Sh1.3 million) for his victory in the race, and U$ 50,000 in bonuses for breaking the world record at the event also known as Meeting Herculis.
The athlete stands to get up to Sh12.8 million if one factors in the government’s pledge of Sh5 million for any Kenyan sports personality who breaks the world record across all sports is factored in.
Wanyonyi, 21, erased the 27-year-old 1,000m world record by 0.13 seconds on Saturday in the French principality of Monaco.
Wanyonyi erased his compatriot Noah Ngeny’s world record of two minutes, 11.96 seconds which the Kenyan runner set on September 5, 1999. Wanyonyi stopped the clock at 2:11.83 under the evening sky in Monaco. His winning time was also a meet record, and a Diamond League record.
Kenyans Agnes Ng’etich (women’s 3,000m) and Simon Koech (men’s 3,000m) were also winners on the night but world and Olympic 1,500m champion Faith Kipyegon finished third in the women’s 3,000m.
President William Ruto, the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) president Shadrack Maluki and his deputy Barnaba Korir, who is also the Athletics Kenya’s Director of Youth and Development, were among Kenyans who congratulated Wanyonyi following his record-running feat.
President Ruto described Wanyonyi’s performance as remarkable and phenomenal.
“Wanyonyi’s historic achievement has once again shown the world the strength of Kenyan athletics and made our nation immensely proud,” Ruto said. “His outstanding milestone will inspire many more generations of champions.”
Maluki said that the best is yet to come from Wanyonyi and the rest of the Kenyan brigade ahead of the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing, and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
“Your achievements are a reflection of Kenya’s enduring spirit, resilience, and sporting excellence,” Maluki said, adding that local athletes have raised the national flag high with pride, and have inspired millions of young people to believe that greatness is possible through discipline, hard work, and determination.
“I also congratulate your coaches, support teams, and your families for their exceptional support that has helped elicit this accomplishment,” said Maluki.
Korir noted that Wanyonyi’s remarkable achievement, which eclipsed Ngeny’s 27-year-old record, is a testament to his exceptional talent, hard work and determination.
Korir predicted that Wanyonyi could be the man to break David Rudisha’s 800m world record time of 1:40.91.
“We are proud of you and wish you even greater success in the competitions ahead,” said Korir.
Wanyonyi ran a breath-taking personal best of 1:41.11 at the Lausanne Diamond League on August 22, 2024, missing Rudisha’s fabled world record from his 2012 London Olympic Games gold medal victory. That made Wanyonyi the second fastest man in 800m jointly with Kenyan-born Dane Wilson Kipketer.
Kipketer’s time of 1:41.11 from 1997 had stood as a world record before Rudisha obliterated it for the first time, running 1:41.09 in Berlin on August 202, 2010, and again bettered it eight days later in 1:41.09 in Rieti, Italy.
Wanyonyi seems to be gravitating towards the 800m world record after he erased the 27-year-old 1,000m world record by 0.13 seconds on Friday.
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