Wanyonyi stands out as Tebogo, Moraa and Welteji are African winners in Lausanne

Olympic 800m champion, Emmanuel Wanyonyi was the star of the night at the Lausanne Diamond League meeting on Thursday after running a new lifetime best, world lead and Diamond League meeting record to win the men’s 800m event.

The victory cleared the victory path for three other African athletes who also won their events.

Two women, Welteji Diribe of Ethiopia and Mary Moraa of Kenya were the first to follow the path cleared by Wanyonyi.

The Ethiopian ran a new 8:21.50 meeting record and personal best to win the women’s 3000m and expressed delight with her performance.

I’m very happy with my time, it’s incredible. The conditions here in Lausanne are perfect, truly great to be here. The crowd was big and I heard it a lot when I raced, I was happy at the end,’ said the 22 year old who was fourth in the 1500m at the Paris Olympics.

Moraa also rose from the disappointment of not winning her first Olympic medal to run 1:57.91 to win the 800m event.

The Kenyan was delighted to return to Lausanne to successfully defend her title, as it were, after running 1:57.43 to win last year.

‘I’m thrilled to return here to Lausanne and to perform at this level again. It was a very good race and I executed it well. I’m so thankful, for the race, the crowd. I’m extremely happy of how it all went out,’ said the Paris Olympics bronze medalist.

Letsile Tebogo, the Olympic 200m champion drew the curtain on the race with another incredible performance. He ran 19.64 to win ahead of USA duo of Erriyon Knighton (19.78) and Fred Kerley (19.86).

Tebogo was delighted with his performance especially coming after his history making run at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

‘It was a great race for me here today in Lausanne, to be able to return here the following year is very cool to me. I think the most important thing for me is that even after such achievements like the ones I did at the Olympics, at the end of the day you just have to keep running to maintain the form throughout the season. So that being done here in athletissima, I’m satisfied,’ said the African record holder in the event.