Berardelli: Wanyonyi capable of breaking Rudisha’s 800m World record

Claudio Berardelli believes his athlete, Emmanuel Wanyonyi is capable of smashing his compatriot, David Rudisha’s 1:40.91 world record set at the London 2012 Olympics.

Wanyonyi rose from a very humble beginning to race to the podium at the Paris 2024 Olympics and Berardelli is confident the 20-year-old can take that next step by adding the world record to his growing list of achievements.

‘Wanyonyi has a unique combination of speed and endurance. He has this ability to keep pushing when others start fading. Wanyonyi is a champion in his mind. He is fearless, probably because of his background. Even when he has difficult days you will never see him losing hope.

‘He knows there’s always a new day to try again. That’s what sets him apart,’ Beradelli told the BBC in an interview.

Wanyonyi came close to breaking the record at the Diamond League meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland where his 1:41.11 was just two tenths of a second off Rudisha’s time.

Wanyonyi is however not putting himself under any pressure.

‘I’m not obsessed with it, but I believe it’s possible. I know there is a level I should reach and I’m not yet there,’ Wanyonyi told the BBC in an interview.