As the anticipation for the World Athletics Awards 2023 intensifies, the focus turns to Emmanuel Wanyonyi, Kenya’s nominee for this year’s Rising Star awards.
Wanyonyi faces tough competition from Jamaica’s Roshawn Clarke and the USA’s Erriyon Knighton. Clarke, who placed fourth in the World Championships 400m hurdles, set remarkable records while Knighton clinched a silver in the 200m at the World Championships and achieved victories in Diamond League races.
The winners of these awards will be selected by an esteemed international panel of experts, with the results slated for announcement on World Athletics’ platforms on December 11.
Wanyonyi, previously nominated for the men’s Rising Star honour in 2022, continues to gain recognition for his ongoing progress in 2023.
The 2021 world U20 800m champion, who secured fourth place in the senior World Championships final in 2022, commenced 2023 on a high note as a part of Kenya’s gold medal-winning mixed relay team at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst in February.
This set the stage for another successful year, characterized by top-two finishes in all but one of his 11 800m races, including heats and semifinals. His achievements encompassed four Wanda Diamond League victories in Rabat, Paris, Xiamen, and the final in Eugene.
Wanyonyi consistently bettered his personal best, progressively improving from 1:43.76 to 1:42.80 in Eugene, a performance that secured him the overall Diamond League crown.
Additionally, it was a world-leading mark, solidifying his name with four of the top nine times by the season’s end. Wanyonyi, aged 19 as of August 1, also claimed the fifth position on the world U20 all-time list.
His stellar championship performance in Budapest further showcased his capabilities. After navigating the rounds with wins in his heat and semifinal, Wanyonyi sprinted to a silver medal in the World Athletics Championships final, trailing the winner by a mere 0.29 seconds.
