Wanyonyi chases statement outing as rivalry with Arop is rekindled at tomorrow's Oslo meet

Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Marco Arop in a previous race/ FILE

World and Olympic 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi will be hunting for a statement performance tomorrow (Wednesday) at the Oslo Diamond League as he renews his captivating rivalry with 2023 world champion Marco Arop of Canada.

Wanyonyi launched his 2026 Diamond League campaign on a promising note at the Rabat Diamond League on May 31, stopping the clock at 1:43.56 to finish second. Britain's Max Burgin dominated the race in 1:42.98, while Algeria's Slimane Moula completed the podium in 1:43.73.

Reflecting on his Rabat outing, Wanyonyi acknowledged the intensity of the competition. "The race was good; it was my fastest time this season. At the same time, the race was also tough," he said. The Kenyan middle distance star was nevertheless encouraged by the challenge, saying it pushed him to dig deeper. "I have done my best, 1:43 is not bad. I expected a race like this where someone would push me to my maximum."

The 21-year-old now shifts his focus to Oslo, determined to bounce back in style. He will also be aiming to defend the title he claimed at the Norwegian stop last year, when he produced a commanding finish to win in 1:42.78, outkicking Spain's Mohamed Attaoui (1:42.90) and Algeria's Djamel Sedjati (1:43.06). Standing in his way, however, is a formidable obstacle in the towering figure of Arop.

The two middle-distance heavyweights have been trading blows in one of athletics' most compelling rivalries over the past few seasons. Their first major showdown came at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, where Emmanuel Korir stormed to gold in 1:43.71. Sedjati (1:44.14) and Arop (1:44.28) secured silver and bronze, respectively, while Wanyonyi narrowly missed out on the podium, finishing fourth in 1:44.54.

They met again at the 2023 Paris Diamond League, where Wanyonyi edged Arop, winning in 1:43.27 with the Canadian just behind in 1:43.30.

In Monaco later that season, Arop placed third in 1:43.51 while Wanyonyi endured a rare off day, finishing eighth in 1:44.35. At the World Championships in Budapest, Arop struck gold in 1:44.24, with Wanyonyi taking silver in 1:44.53. But Wanyonyi gained revenge at the 2023 Diamond League Final at the Prefontaine Classic, powering to victory in 1:42.80 as Arop settled for second in 1:42.85.

The rivalry reached another level in 2024 when Wanyonyi captured Olympic gold in a breathtaking 1:41.19, holding off Arop by the slimmest of margins as the Canadian clocked 1:41.20 for silver.

The Kenyan also got the better of Arop at the Diamond League Final in Brussels, winning in 1:42.70 while Arop finished third in 1:43.25. Last year, the pair crossed paths again in Monaco, where Wanyonyi surged to victory in 1:41.44 as Arop came home fifth in 1:42.73. They renewed hostilities in London, with Wanyonyi once again emerging victorious in 1:42.0, while Arop followed in second place with 1:42.22.

At the Diamond League Final in Zurich, Wanyonyi completed another triumph, storming to the trophy in 1:42.37 as Arop finished third in 1:42.57.

Their latest chapter unfolded at the World Championships in Tokyo, where Wanyonyi unleashed a devastating finishing kick to clinch his maiden world title in 1:41.86. Sedjati secured silver in 1:41.90, while Arop completed the podium in 1:41.95. Adding further depth to a stacked Oslo field are Attaoui, Ireland's Mark English and France's Gabriel Tual.