2 Kenyans shine in Zurich as Amusan loses 100m hurdles world record

Kenya produced two memorable victories at the penultimate Diamond League meeting of the season in Zürich, Switzerland, as Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Faith Cherotich delivered commanding performances on a night that also witnessed two world records.

Wanyonyi, the Olympic champion, prevailed in a thrilling men’s 800m race, narrowly holding off Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati to win in a world-leading 1:41.76. Sedjati was just 0.07 seconds behind in 1:41.83, with another Algerian, Slimane Moula, finishing third in 1:43.52.

Cherotich completed Kenya’s double by winning the women’s 3000m steeplechase in 8:55.82. She led an African sweep of the podium, with compatriot Doris Lemngole finishing second in a personal best of 8:55.94 and Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai taking third in 8:58.28.

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The Zürich meeting, held on Thursday, August 27, produced an evening of high-quality athletics, with several of the world’s leading performers pushing each other to the limit. The biggest highlights, however, came from the two world records set in the men’s 400m hurdles and women’s 100m hurdles.

Brazil’s Alison dos Santos smashed the men’s 400m hurdles world record, becoming only the second man in history to dip below 46 seconds. He stopped the clock at 45.80, lowering the previous record of 45.94 set by Norway’s Karsten Warholm at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Wanyonyi Holds His Nerve in Thrilling 800m

Wanyonyi’s victory was far from straightforward, with Sedjati pushing the Kenyan throughout a fiercely contested two-lap race. The Olympic champion kept his composure in the closing stages before producing enough speed to secure the win by the narrowest of margins.

His 1:41.76 not only gave him victory but also established a world-leading mark, underlining his status as one of the strongest 800m runners in the world. Sedjati’s 1:41.83 was also an exceptional performance, while Moula completed the Algerian presence on the podium.

Kenya had another representative in the race, with Wyclife Kinyamal finishing sixth in 1:44.25. The result nevertheless belonged to Wanyonyi, who once again demonstrated his ability to deliver when competing against the world’s best.

Cherotich’s victory was equally significant. The Kenyan controlled the women’s 3000m steeplechase and held off Lemngole, who produced one of the best performances of her career to clock a personal-best 8:55.94. Chemutai completed an all-African podium in 8:58.28.

The result underlined Kenya’s continued strength in the women’s steeplechase, with Cherotich and Lemngole displaying the depth of talent available in the event. Cherotich’s 8:55.82 gave her a clear victory, although Lemngole remained within striking distance until the closing stages.

Amusan’s World Record Era Ends in Zürich

While Kenya celebrated two victories, Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan saw her reign as women’s 100m hurdles world-record holder come to an end.

American Masai Russell finally broke Amusan’s long-standing mark after several close attempts this season. Russell clocked 12.09 seconds to improve the previous world record of 12.12 by three hundredths of a second.

Amusan, who set the 12.12 world record at the 2022 World Championships in Oregon, finished second in Zürich in a season’s best of 12.23. Dutch hurdler Nadine Visser was third in 12.34.

Russell’s breakthrough marked the end of a four-year period in which Amusan’s 12.12 stood as the benchmark in one of athletics’ most competitive events. The Nigerian was unable to reclaim the record despite improving on her previous season’s best.

The other world record of the evening came from dos Santos, who produced a sensational run in the men’s 400m hurdles. The Brazilian stormed to 45.80, taking 0.14 seconds off Warholm’s previous mark.

Warholm had to settle for second in 46.69, while Nigeria’s Ezekiel Nathaniel was third in 47.50. Dos Santos’ performance added another major chapter to a season already packed with remarkable athletics performances.

Kenya also came close to another victory in the men’s 1500m, where Phanuel Koech finished second behind Olympic champion Cole Hocker. Hocker won in 3:31.71 after edging past Koech on the inside, while the Kenyan clocked 3:31.84.

American Yared Nuguse was third in 3:31.85, just 0.01 behind Koech, while Morocco’s Anass Essayi followed in fourth. Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot finished 11th in 3:33.01.

Elsewhere, Julius Yego finished fifth in the men’s javelin with a throw of 81.66 metres, while South Africa’s Sinesipho Dambile claimed second in the 200m in 19.82. American Kenneth Bednarek won that race in a world-leading 19.62.

The women’s 800m also produced notable performances, with Switzerland’s Audrey Werro setting a national record of 1:53.70 to win. Netherlands’ Femke Bol was second in another national record of 1:54.71, while Ethiopia’s Saida Tsehaye finished fourth in 1:57.33.

Zürich therefore delivered a memorable penultimate Diamond League meeting, combining Kenyan victories, African excellence and two world records.