Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi was forced to settle for second place as American Josh Hoey’s impressive 2025 campaign reached new heights as he blasted the final 100m to win the 800m in 1minute 42.82 seconds in soggy conditions at the Lausanne Diamond League on Wednesday night.
Wanyonyi, 21, clocked 1:43.29 behind Hoey, who produced a late burst to become first American man to win the 800m on the Diamond League circuit since Isaiah Harris won at the Müller British Grand Prix in 2021, running 1:44.76.
Spain’s Mohamed Attaoui completed the podium in 1:43.38 as Britain’s Max Burgin (1:43.44) and world champion Marco Arop of Canada (1:43.91) finished third and fourth respectively.
The race, staged at the rain-soaked Stade Olympique de la Pontaise under world-record pace lights, had promised fireworks with a stacked line up.
As usual Wanyonyi pushed hard in the last 200m but could not shake off Hoey, who upstaged the Olympic champion to claim his biggest win of his career.
Botswana’s Tshepiso Masalela (1:44.51), France’s Yanis Meziane (1:44.77), Switzerland’s Ivan Pelizza (1:45.52), and American Bryce Hoppel (1:48.18) trailed.
Elsewhere, Kenya’s NCAA steeplechase champion Doris Lemngole braved the wet track before storming to victory in 9:16.36 in the women’s 3000m steeplechase.
She stunned Ethiopia’s Sembo Almayew, who clocked 9:20.39 for second, while USA’s Olivia Markezich settled for third in 9:20.73.
Finally, in the 5000m, Kenya-born Belgian Isaac Kimeli took victory in 13:07.67, holding off America’s Grant Fisher who clocked 13:08.51.
Kenya’s teenage prospect Ishmael Kipkurui Roitto finished fifth in 13:09.82, just ahead of compatriot Edwin Kurgat in 13:09.91.
