Oslo Diamond League: Emmanuel Wanyonyi loses 800m title to 17-year-old rival
By Joel Masibo, June 11, 2026The United States of America’s teenager Cooper Lutkenhaus claimed his second Wanda Diamond League in four days with a narrow victory over Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi in the men’s 800m in Oslo on Wednesday night, June 10, 2026.
Lutkenhaus beat Wanyonyi to the line in a dramatic photo finish to clock a world lead of 1:42.08 and add a second Diamond League scalp after victory in his series debut in Stockholm last Sunday.
Wanyonyi upbeat
Speaking during a pre-race press conference on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, Wanyonyi said he was delighted to return to Oslo, describing the track as one that suits fast times.
“This is my second time running in Oslo; the track is so fast, so I’m happy,” Wanyonyi said.
“I was in Rabat and was supposed to be in Stockholm, but my wife gave me my first child four days ago,” he revealed when asked about his cheerful demeanor.
Wanyonyi, who has emerged as one of the world’s leading 800m runners, said his training has undergone some adjustments as he continues to build towards peak performance. He noted that he has been covering approximately 160 kilometres per week, mainly at high altitude, while increasingly focusing on speed endurance.
“I’ve been training at 160km per week and most of the time I train high up in the mountains. I’ve started to build my speed endurance so now I’m focusing on the speed and reducing the long runs,” he explained.
There was heartbreak for the home crowd in the men’s 400m hurdles as Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos stormed to a third successive win over world record holder Karsten Warholm with 46.89.
Letsile Tebogo won the men’s 200m in 10.87, comfortably beating Diamond League debutant Gout Gout, who finished sixth.
Julien Alfred breezed to a windy 10.76 in the women’s 100m, while Chinese teenager Yan Ziyi won her first European Diamond League competition with 67.11m in the javelin.
There was also a photo finish in the men’s mile, where Timothy Cheruiyot just pipped Yared Nuguse to the line to take his first Diamond League win in five years.