Emmanuel Wanyonyi: Under-20 champ follows in footsteps of Rudisha

In the just-concluded 2021 World Athletics under-20 Championships at Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani in Nairobi, Emmanuel Wanyonyi stormed to victory in the 800m race after being tripped and almost fell in the last lap.

This was a race that many had been waiting for and in the last 200m, Kenyans were not sure if the two athletes would bag medals but to their surprise, Wanyonyi surged forward to win gold after running a World Under-20 record time of 1:43.76 in the distance.

Wanyonyi and Noah Kibet had both qualified for the finals and the race was competitive because all the participants wanted to be in the podium and the duo had to hatch a plan to beat their competitors.

The plan almost backfired when the athletes crossed the 400m mark in 48 seconds something that left his coaches amazed. With the last 250m to go, the two in the lead were tripped and that forced Wanyonyi to slow down but he managed to get some strength and zoomed past Algerian Mohamed Ali Gouaned who settled for a silver medal.

Before the race, world record holder in the 800m David Rudisha, who was also the game’s ambassador, gave them tips, advising that the two-lap race needs great calculation.

“Rudisha gave us his blessings before we lined up for the finals, that is why I managed to win gold. He said that the distance is just tactics and when you compete from the front, you can control the pace and it worked for us though we almost lost it,” said Wanyonyi.

“I almost gave up in the last 200m because our bodies couldn’t move but I started surging forward and my body was responding well. I’m happy I won gold and my compatriot Kibet bronze,” said Wanyonyi.

On Thursday, it was song and dance in Kapretwa village in Saboti, Trans Nzoia County during his homecoming. Everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of the champion, who used to run on village roads.

It has been a long journey for the soft-spoken Wanyonyi, whose success he attributes to a number of people who saw his ability while still in school.

At one time, he dropped out of Kapretwa Primary School while in Class Three and went to Kitale town in Trans Nzoia to work.

He took up a herdsman job for different families, where he earned between Sh200 and Sh1,000 a month.

“I worked to help my family which was suffering due to poverty. My parents could not pay school fees for the 12 of us,” narrated Wanyonyi, who said he continued running.

He stayed out of class for seven years before he was later spotted by primary teachers who enrolled him in Standard Seven where he started competing in various races, representing the institution up to the regional level in Kapsabet.

His ability in the field attracted Kosirai High School teacher Eliud Kirarei, who enrolled him in the school after finishing primary education.

“I got a place in Form One before I sat for my KCPE exam because of my good performance on track.

“I was asked to buy only  the school uniform because I could not afford fees,” said Wanyonyi who used to participate in almost all track events.

More blessings came his way after former world 800m champion Janeth Jepkosgei saw how he was competing and recruited him to join her camp at Kapchemoiywo Athletics Training Camp in Kapsabet, Nandi County.

Wanyonyi is about 6 feet tall, an ideal height for a middle distance athlete. His performance is already impressive. He won the North Rift pre-trials held in Kapsabet and finished second at the national trials in Kasarani, Nairobi, before bagging a gold medal in the World Under-20 Championships.

He hopes to follow in the footsteps of his mentor, Rudisha, who is also the current world record holder.

“I ran 1:50 during the pre-trials and 1:45 in the national trials and I have seen with good preparations, I can be able to run 1:40. My target is to break Rudisha’s time of 1:40.91 which he clocked during the London Olympic Games in 2012,” added Wanyonyi.

He attributes his success to the lengthy period learners stayed out of school when Covid-19 struck.

But the virus almost ended his dream of becoming a champion after he turned positive for Covid-19 upon joining the bio-secure bubble camp. He was isolated with two others, who interestingly also bagged gold medals.

“I turned positive for coronavirus upon joining the camp and I feared that was my end. Luckily,  we were given a coach and went on with our programme and in the end we all emerged winners.”

Born in Saboti, Trans Nzoia County, Wanyonyi hopes to join the senior level next year as he seeks to professionalise his talent.

“It has been a long journey full of challenges but I’m happy because I’m overcoming this and I will be able to help my family. They have been praying for me and I know I will be successful and make their lives better, especially my mother who is a widow,” said Wanyonyi.

Rudisha, Conseslus Kipruto and Janet Jepkosgei are some of the big names whose careers were launched during the World Junior Championships. For Wanyonyi and his Team Kenya colleagues, the 2021 global event will help Kenya continue with its athletics’ legacy.

He hopes to improve his performance next year, which is action packed, as he sets his eyes in the senior category after defending his title in the 800m race during the 19th edition of the World Under-20 Championships in Cali, Colombia.

His mother, Margaret Nasimiyu, was happy to see him competing in a world competition terming his talent as unique.

“He has been a good disciplined boy and where he has reached is God’s doing. He used to train and we didn’t know that the world would be coming back to this village to celebrate his success. I’m really impressed,” said the mother.

Pastor Andrew Mibei of Bethany Baptist Church, who took in Wanyonyi when he rejoined primary school, said he guided him throughout.

On the other hand, his former games teacher James Mahino was keen on Wanyonyi’s performance and decided to help him compete in various races, representing the school, what gave him a chance to join Kosirai Secondary School.

“Wanyonyi’s discipline has made him a star; that is why we are celebrating him today. I have stayed with him while in school and he used to listen to the instructions being given to him. This is what made him a champion in the 800m race,” said Mahino.

Talent

According to Violet Mrende, Kapretwa Primary School headteacher, there are more youths in the school who have talent but lack facilities to train.

“We have more Wanyonyis in this school and we hope to nurture them,” said Mrende, who heads a school that has a total of 1,907 pupils.

His coaches, Jepkosgei and Hillary Lelei, believe that he can still lower his personal best time as he seeks to transit into the senior level. Athletes from their camp, which is situated a in Nandi County, bagged three medals.

Apart from Wanyonyi’s gold medal, Levi Kibet, a Form Three student at Kosirai High School, bagged bronze in the 5,000m race while Sylvia Chelangat won bronze in the 400m race.

Jepkosgei said that when he saw Wanyonyi training, he knew that he had a bright future because he used to strictly follow instructions from the coaches.

“We are proud of our athletes because they did well including those who managed to get to the semi-finals and finals. He is focused and we hope he will continue working hard. We shall always guide him to achieve a good record in the near future. I will also be happy to see Wanyonyi win in the Olympic Games, which I didn't,” said the former 800m champion.