Ruto Pays Glowing Tribute to Emmanuel Wanyonyi After Breaking 27-Year-Old 1000m World Record
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President William Ruto has congratulated Kenyan athlete Emmanuel Wanyonyi after he broke the men’s 1,000-metre world record at the Monaco Diamond League.
In a statement issued on Saturday, July 11, 2026, Ruto said Wanyonyi’s achievement had made Kenya proud and showed the country’s strength in athletics.
“Congratulations to Emmanuel Wanyonyi on breaking the men’s 1000m world record with a remarkable 2:11.83 at the Monaco Diamond League, ending a 27-year wait for a new world record in the event.
“Wanyonyi’s historic achievement has once again shown the world the strength of Kenyan athletics and made our nation immensely proud. His outstanding milestone will inspire many more generations of champions,” Ruto said.
Ruto Hails Wanyonyi’s Record-Breaking Run
Wanyonyi made history on Friday, July 10, after winning the men’s 1,000m race in 2 minutes and 11.83 seconds.
The 21-year-old broke the previous world record of 2:11.96, which had been set by fellow Kenyan Noah Ngeny 27 years ago.
Also Read: Ruto Announces New Rewards for Athletes, Including Ksh 5 Million for Record Breakers [Full Details]
The Monaco race was Wanyonyi’s first competitive appearance in the 1,000m event.
His time of 2:11.83 also made him only the second athlete to run the distance in under 2 minutes and 12 seconds.
Great Britain’s Jake Wightman finished second in 2:12.77, while Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati came third in 2:13.94. The top six runners all finished in under 2 minutes and 15 seconds.
Wanyonyi’s Career Achievements
Wanyonyi first competed on the international stage in 2021, when he won the 800m gold medal at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Nairobi in a championship record time of 1:43.76.
Also Read: Kenyan Marathoner Breaks World Record, Becomes First Man to Run Below 2 Hours
He later won the men’s 800m gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, claimed the 2025 World Athletics Championships title in Tokyo with a championship record, won the 2023 Diamond League 800m title, and set the world road mile record in Riga in 2024.
He was also part of Kenya’s mixed relay team that won gold at the 2023 World Cross Country Championships.
Wanyonyi became the second Kenyan athlete to set a major athletics world record in 2026 after Sebastian Sawe became the first man to complete a marathon in under two hours on a record-eligible course.
Sawe clocked 1:59:30 to win the London Marathon on April 26.
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Olympic and World 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi. PHOTO/ World Athletics
