The top 10 athletes of 2024 so far

Bryce Hopple is the new World Indoor Champion

After an eventful final Bryce Hoppel, who had stayed well clear of trouble, took over the lead on the final straight from Eliott Crestan and sprinted to the gold. Behind him Andreas Kramer nudged ahead of Crestan as well. Benjamin Robert and a terribly disappointed Mariano García finished way back. Robert was later disqualified after what had been a tumultuous race.

The root of the trouble had been the two very different semfinals. One was quick, but in the other García had taken the lead, slowed the race down, then outsprinted the others. His plan might have been to do the same in the final. After all, he had also won the 2022 European Championships from the front. But Robert had decided he was not going to let that happen.

Straight from the start Robert sprinted into the lead, bumping ahead of García. The Spaniard wasn't happy with that. After one round he accelerated and took over the lead, as Robert went backward fast. Hoppel was quietly following, but then Crestan moved up, and as García was slowing down again the Belgian went around and across, and so the Spaniard took a knock once more. García had now lost a lot of energy and was fading fast as well.

Meanwhile Hoppel, who had avoided all these clashes, had saved the best for last. He finished in a new World Leading time, and after winning a bronze medal two years ago he has now added a world Indoor gold to his collection.

    Result:
 1  Bryce Hoppel           USA   1:44.92
 2  Andreas Kramer         SWE   1:45.27
 3  Eliott Crestan         BEL   1:45.32
 4  Catalin Tecuceanu      ITA   1:46.39
 5  Mariano García         ESP   1:48.77
 -  Benjamin Robert        FRA   DQ (1:46.80)
Bryce Hoppel just ahead of the start
Look into the future. Bryce Hoppel seems to try to visualize how he will be running the race. A few minutes later he would be World Indoor Champion after staying out of trouble in what turned out to be a turbulent final.

Emmanuel Wanyoni wins the Diamond League

In some seasons there is an obvious number one at the 800m. This season there were two athletes who could make a valid claim for that title. Marco Arop is World Champion, but Emmanuel Wanyoni took silver and also ran the fastest time this year. Both were out to prove a point at the Diamond League final in Eugene.

The pace was fast, the first lap even just under 50 seconds. Arop was close behind and on the back straight seemed to run away from the field with his long strides. But Wanyoni was timing his race well and around the final bend came much closer. It came down to a sprint finish, where Wanyoni just edged ahead on the line, where Arop just managed to stay ahead of Djamel Sedjati, who was also finishing very fast.

All three did run a PB, and Arop and Wanyoni also ran 1:42 for the first time in their careers. But it was Wanyoni who finished first, setting a world leading time. And it was Wanyoni who could march around with the Diamond shaped trophy. So he might well feel justified to call himself the 2023 king of the 800m after all.

    Result:
 1  Emmanuel Wanyonyi      KEN   1:42.80
 2  Marco Arop             CAN   1:42.85
 3  Djamel Sedjati         ALG   1:43.06
 4  Yanis Meziane          FRA   1:43.94
 5  Daniel Rowden          GBR   1:44.21
 6  Bryce Hoppel           USA   1:44.63
 7  Benjamin Robert        FRA   1:45.43
 8  Saul Ordóñez           ESP   1:45.90
 9  Wycliffe Kinyamal      KEN   1:46.33
Emmanuel Wanyoni just after the finish
A big win! Emmanuel Wanyoni scores another important victory as he wins the Diamond League. Two recent major wins, both in World Leads, and a silver at the World Championships made 2023 to a memorable summer for the young Kenyan.

Sedjati victorious in Brussels

Djamel Sedjati certainly can't have been happy with his performance at the recent World Championships. In 2022 he came away with a silver medal. This year though he came fifth, then learned that he was disqualified for a lane infringement.

On this day in Brussels though he showed his true worth. The pacemakers went off fast, and it was young Yanis Meziane who was closest at the bell. But on lap two Sedjati moved forward fast, went past everyone and as he approached the finish he could even afford to look left and right, as he relaxed towards the finish line with a substantial lead.

It was a very convincing win, and it clearly shows that Sedjati will be a medal candidate for many years to come. Behind him Meziane impressively held on for a sub-1:44 PB. Masalela ran a PB as well.

    Result:
 1  Djamel Sedjati         ALG   1:43.60
 2  Yanis Meziane          FRA   1:43.94
 3  Tshepiso Masalela      BOT   1:44.03
 4  Daniel Rowden          GBR   1:44.12
 5  Ben Pattison           GBR   1:44.32
 6  Bryce Hoppel           USA   1:44.37
 7  Wycliffe Kinyamal      KEN   1:44.38
 8  Saul Ordóñez           ESP   1:44.85
 9  Slimane Moula          ALG   1:45.80
Sedjati celebrates his Brussels victory
This time it all went perfect! Sedjati disappointingly failed to take a medal at the World Championships. But in Brussels he convincingly outsprinted the entire field.

Wanyoni gets his revenge in Xiamen, China

A very strong field had traveled to China to contest this Diamond League meeting. Marco Arop and Emmanuel Wanyoni were out to cement their reputation from the World Championships. Arop would also love to take Brandon McBride's Canadian record of 1:43.20. Wycliffe Kinyamal would try to prove why he still held the World Lead this year.

Arop initially followed the pacemaker, but at the bell Wanyoni and Kinyamal took over. Arop didn't seem unhappy with that, came back to the lead, went past Kinyamal, and then got level with Wanyoni. The pair ran side by side to the finish, with Kinyamal eventually just edging out Arop.

The race result shows it was all about hundredths of a second. Wanyoni beat Arop by four hundredths and set a new World Lead by two hundredths. Arop beat his own PB by two hundredths but missed the Canadian record by four hundredths. The depth of the field was shown by the fact that no less than ten athletes went below 1:45 for only the fourth time in history.

    Result:
 1. Emmanuel Wanyonyi    KEN  1:43.20
 2. Marco Arop           CAN  1:43.24
 3. Benjamin Robert      FRA  1:43.88
 4. Wycliffe Kinyamal    KEN  1:44.04
 5. Daniel Rowden        GBR  1:44.27
 6. Yanis Meziane        FRA  1:44.28
 7. Saúl Ordóñez         ESP  1:44.54
 8. Gabriel Tual         FRA  1:44.65
 9. Ben Pattison         GBR  1:44.87
10. Andreas Kramer       SWE  1:44.97
11. Isaiah Harris        USA  1:45.10
12. Simone Barontini     ITA  1:45.42
Marco Arop and Emmanuel Wanyoni battling it out
What a run! Marco Arop and Emmanuel Wanyoni had a fierce battle to the finish. Although Arop was narrowly leading for some time Wanyoni would win by four hundredths of a second.

Marco Arop is World Champion

Although Marco Arop is known as a front runner he had decided to run differently in the final. Halfway through the race he was in last position, biding his time.

On lap two though Marco worked his way forward, went past early leader Emmanuel Wanyoni and never looked back. With majestic strides he ran straight towards the finish and the gold.

Behind him Wanyoni was still fast enough to hold off all others for the silver. The battle for the bronze was very close. In the last few seconds it was Ben Pattison who just managed to finish third.

    Result:
 1. Marco Arop            CAN  1:44.24
 2. Emmanuel Wanyonyi     KEN  1:44.53
 3. Ben Pattison          GBR  1:44.83
 4. Adrián Ben            ESP  1:44.91
 5. Slimane Moula         KEN  1:44.95
 6. Tshepiso Masalela     BOT  1:45.57
 7. Bryce Hoppel          USA  1:46.02
 8. Djamel Sedjati        ALG       DQ (1:45.08)
Arop and Wanyoni congratulate each other
Change of plan! Marco Arop decided on a new strategy in the final and it worked. After the race Wanyoni and Arop congratulated each other with their gold and silver medals.