Wanyonyi dominated the 800m with a meeting record of 1:41.80 at the Allianz Memorial Van Damme to claim his fourth Diamond League title in a row.
Wanyonyi first lifted the coveted Diamond Trophy in 2023 at the Prefontaine Classic final held at Hayward Field, producing a devastating finishing kick to clock 1:42.80 ahead of Marco Arop (1:42.85), while Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati completed the podium in 1:43.06.
He successfully defended the title in Zurich in 2024, storming to victory in 1:41.76 after holding off Sedjati (1:41.83), with fellow Algerian Slimane Moula taking third in 1:43.52.
The 22-year-old completed a remarkable hat-trick last year in Zurich, stopping the clock at 1:42.37 as Britain’s Max Burgin settled for second in 1:42.42, while Arop finished third in 1:42.57.
Wanyonyi win was never in doubt
In Brussels, the victory was never in doubt over the final lap as Wanyonyi easily pulled away from Djamel Sedjati (2nd in 1:42.71) and Marco Arop, who faded to fourth in 1:43.50.
With his personal best of 1:41.11 set at the 2024 Lausanne Diamond League, Wanyonyi and Wilson Kipketer are tied for second place in the all-time 800 metre list, behind only Wanyonyi’s compatriot David Rudisha, who holds the world record.
He began the campaign with a runner-up finish in Rabat on May 31st, clocking 1:43.56, before suffering another agonising second place in Oslo, where his 1:42.09 left him just one hundredth of a second behind American Cooper Lutkenhaus (1:42.08).
Wanyonyi also briefly held the world record in the road mile, with a time of 3:54.56, from April 2024 to September 2024.
He won a gold medal in this event at the 2024 Summer Olympics and the 2025 World Championships, and holds the world record over the 1000 metres with a time of 2:11.83 set in 2026.
Cherotich produces masterclass
Meanwhile, Faith Cherotich unleashed a devastating final kick over the last 100m to surge away from Winfred Yavi and win the women’s 3000m steeplechase in a Meeting Record 8:51.61.
The victory completed a memorable Kenyan 1-2 finish, with 2025 NCAA 3,000m steeplechase champion Doris Lemngole taking second in 8:52.86, while Yavi settled for third in 8:53.54.
Cherotich had lifted her maiden Diamond League Finals trophy in Zurich last year after clocking 8:57.24. On that occasion, she produced a scintillating finishing kick to defeat Kazakhstan-born Norah Jeruto (9:10.87) and Tunisia’s Marwa Bouzayani (9:12.03).
That breakthrough triumph became the springboard for an even greater milestone, as the Kenyan went on to capture the World Championship title in Tokyo, stopping the clock at a brilliant 8:51.59.
The 22-year-old had arrived in Brussels riding a wave of outstanding form, having also orchestrated another Kenyan 1-2 finish in the penultimate Diamond League meeting in Zurich.
At 17, Cherotich competed in, and won a bronze medal at, the 2021 World Athletics Under-20 Championships held in Nairobi, Kenya.
Cherotich won gold at the same event a year later, taking the title at the World U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia.
In 2025, she won gold in the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, in the 3000m steeplechase.
