A perfectly judged finish gave Djamel Sedjati the decisive edge in a fiercely contested men’s 800m final at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship Budapest 26 on Sunday.
The Algerian swept to victory in 1:41.91 after a race that combined aggressive early pacing with a punishing final sprint.
Canada’s Marco Arop, the 2023 world champion, committed to his trademark front-running style from the break, cutting across to the rail and stretching the field almost immediately.
He went through 200m in around 24 seconds and hit the bell in 49.67, with world and Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi tucked just a stride or two behind and the rest of the pack already strung out in single file.
The fast opening lap forced several athletes to work hard simply to stay in contact, leaving limited margin for a late kick.
Down the back straight, Arop continued to dictate terms, holding a narrow but clear lead through 600m as the clock approached 1:15.
Behind him, Sedjati remained patient in the outer lanes, carefully positioning himself on the shoulder of the chasing group rather than committing too early to the inside.
Wanyonyi briefly threatened to challenge Arop into the final bend, but the Kenyan also had to contend with Sedjati edging closer and the pack beginning to fan out wide in anticipation of the final sprint.
As they entered the home straight, Arop’s long stride began to lose some of its snap under the weight of the early pace, and the tempo visibly started to dip.
Sensing his moment, Sedjati swung wide into clear air, unleashed his renowned finishing speed and began to reel in the fading leader with powerful, controlled strides. He moved past Arop with about 25 metres to go and continued to pull away, crossing the line in a Hungarian all-comers’ record of 1:41.91.
Arop, having borne the brunt of the front-running, dug deep to hold on for second in 1:42.28, while Wanyonyi, who had hovered menacingly behind the leaders for much of the race, mustered a strong but slightly belated response to claim third in 1:42.44.
In a high-quality race where the fast opening lap and sustained pressure produced impressive depth, the first seven athletes finished inside 1:43.
USA’s Brandon Miller, who had moved up steadily over the final 200m, placed fourth in 1:42.54, and Francesco Pernici, finishing quickly from the pack, set an Italian record of 1:42.67 in fifth.
“That was very tactical but also very fast, and I am really happy to have won this race today,” said Djamel Sedjati. “This is the first title for me so I’m incredibly happy and grateful to everyone who supported me.”
Selected Results – Men’s 800m
- Djamel Sedjati (ALG) – 1:41.91
- Marco Arop (CAN) – 1:42.28
- Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN) – 1:42.44
- Brandon Miller (USA) – 1:42.54
- Francesco Pernici (ITA) – 1:42.67 NR
- Mark English (IRL) – 1:42.78 PB
- Yanis Meziane (FRA) – 1:42.78 PB
- Eliott Crestan (BEL) – 1:43.14 SB
