TO SAY EMMANUEL WANYONYI, Marco Arop and Djamel Sedjati have dominated championship 800s the past 4 years would be an understatement. When Wanyonyi claimed the ’24 Olympic and ’25 WC titles, Arop and Sedjati were trading medals behind him. They also won four of six honors in ’22 and ’23 World Champs, including Arop’s gold here in Budapest 3 years ago.
Sedjati, however, had never won it all. But Sunday, that changed, as he unleashed the right kick at the right time. With one of his rivals fading hard at the finish and the other running at less than 100%, the Algerian’s 25.65 final 200 could not be matched.
The heats were a bit quirky. In the first, Spain’s Mohamed Attaoui, the bronze medalist at the World Indoor and Euro Champs, inexplicably slipped far back of the field in the first 100 and never really recovered, finishing 6th. American Brandon Miller finished strongly to win, while Wanyonyi dropped back late, just doing enough to make the final. In the second, it was Arop and Sedjati who were the last two to make it as Ireland’s Mark English prevailed in a race that went out in over 52 seconds.
In the final, Arop, whose tactics seem to define how many of the championship or DL 800s unfold (whether he’s leading or not), decided to employ his take-it-by-the-scruff-of-the-neck strategy and see if he could simply outrun everyone, wire to wire.
The Canadian hit 200 first in 24.01, then reached the bell at 49.67. It was in sharp contrast to the massive negative-split race he used to win here in ’23. Wanyonyi followed close behind, pushing hard, never looking comfortable. It was not going to be the World and Olympic champion’s day.
“It was a tough race and I am grateful that I was able to finish it at all,” he said later. “I have a small problem with my back from yesterday and even this morning my coach told me that maybe it would be better to skip this race, but I told him that I would try in any case. So, to finish it with 1:42, it’s even a little miracle.”
Meanwhile, France’s Yanis Meziane — fresh off a DL Final where had crushed a national record 1:42.87, beating Arop and finishing right behind Wanyonyi and Sedjati — filed in behind the Kenyan, hungry for more. Sedjati and Miller, in 4th and 5th, and the rest of the field was content to let the front trio carry the pacing load.
Arop upped the ante slightly, hoping to gain some purchase. He increased the gap slightly, but Wanyonyi and Meziane stuck right behind, in single file, with 600 passing in 1:15.32. Then things began to change.
Around the final curve, Sedjati and Miller began to close on Meziane and launched their kicks. Miller tried to get past on the outside of the Algerian, but he fought him off and slingshotted past Meziane. Sprinting ferociously, Sedjati overhauled a fading Wanyonyi and then Arop, who slowed the most, taking 13.93 for the final 100 compared to Sedjati’s 12.87.
Last year, Sedjati took silver in Tokyo, just 0.04 behind Wanyonyi. Two years ago, he had won three DL races before the OG — including Paris and Monaco — but found himself two strides behind the near-photo finish of the Kenyan ahead of Arop.
This year, it was Sedjati’s time and he dedicated his victory to all the people of Algeria. “That was very tactical but also very fast, and I am really happy to have won this race today,” he said. “This is the first title for me, so I’m incredibly happy and grateful to everyone who supported me. Thank God for giving me this title.”
Arop said he was confident coming in, and acknowledged, “It didn’t happen today. But I congratulate Djamel, he finally won his first global title. He worked really hard for it.”
UC MEN’S 800 RESULTS
1. Djamel Sedjati (Alg) 1:41.91
(24.48, 25.91 [50.39], 25.87 [1:16.26] 25.65) (50.39/51.52) (12.87)
2. Marco Arop (Can) 1:42.28
(24.01, 25.66 [49.67], 25.65 [1:15.32], 26.96) (49.67/52.61) (13.93)
3. Emmanuel Wanyonyi (Ken) 1:42.44
(24.03, 26.0 [50.03], 25.76 [1:15.79], 26.65) (50.03/52.41) (13.52)
4. Brandon Miller (US) 1:42.54
(24.60, [50.45], 25.88 [1:16.33], 26.21) (50.45/52.09) (13.36)
5. Francesco Pernici (Ita) 1:42.67 NR
(24.60, [50.53], 26.40 [1:16.93], 25.74) (50.53/52.14) (12.97)
6. Mark English (Ire) 1:42.78 PR
(50.67/52.11) (13.17)
7. Yanis Meziane (Fra) 1:42.78 PR
(50.27/52.51) (13.65)
8. Eliott Crestan (Bel) 1:43.14
(50.74/52.40) (13.35)
Heats (September 12)
I–1. Miller 1:43.86; 2. Meziane 1:44.07; 3. Crestan 1:44.09; 4. Wanyonyi 1:44.43; 5. Navasky Anderson (Jam) 1:44.83; 6. Mohamed Attaoui (Spa) 1:45.12; 7. Handal Roban (VIN) 1:45.12; 8. Marino Bloudek (Cro) 1:45.90.
II–1. English 1:43.74; 2. Pernici 1:43.80; 3. Arop 1:44.21; 4. Sedjati 1:44.23; 5. Gabriel Tual (Fra) 1:44.42; 6. Donavan Brazier (US) 1:44.47; 7. Max Burgin (GB) 1:44.56; 8. Ben Pattison (GB) 1:47.58.
