Kitale Street Child to Olympic 800m Champion

Emmanuel Wanyonyi was born in Kenya and grew up as the middle child in a family of twelve. He stopped attending school in class three and lived on the streets of Kitale. Looking back, he said that he stayed in the streets from 2011 to 2016 and then went back home, describing that life simply as not easy.

He returned to his family in 2016 rather than continue to live on the streets. His life took a different turn two years later. In 2018 he decided to focus on his running, which meant going back to school, and he rejoined in class seven. The report also records that his father left home one day to run errands and was murdered, an event that changed Wanyonyi's life. A journalist recalled that as a boy he repeatedly asked his father for running shoes until his father gave him 300 Kenyan shillings to buy a pair.

Running opened doors. In 2018 he reached the national primary school games and won a scholarship to a high school, where he joined Form One, which he said was in 2020. In 2021 he won the 800 metres at the World Under-20 Championships in Nairobi. In 2022 he made his senior debut at the World Championships in Eugene, finishing fourth in the 800 metres, and the next year he improved to second at the World Championships in Budapest.

In 2024 he made his Olympic debut at the Paris Games, where his main aim was a personal best. He credits his coaches, including Claudio and Lelei, and Janeth Jepkosgei, who he said saw his talent and supported him.