Meet Djamel Sedjati, the third fastest 800m runner in history who is a favorite for the gold medal at Paris Olympics 2024

Djamel Sedjati is the front-runner for the gold medal in the men's 800m at the Paris Olympics 2024. The Algerian ran 1:45.84 to qualify for the semifinals, and with a massive personal best of 1:41.46 in the distance, he is the man to beat in the 800m final on August 10.

Sedjati kicked off his outdoor season at the Ostrava Golden Spike meeting on May 28th. He won the race in a time of 1:43.51. The 25-year-old had earlier run the 1000m at the ACNW Track and Field League 6 in a South African indoor competition, winning in a time of 2:13.97.

Before the Paris Diamond League meeting, Sedjati ran the 800m distance at the Bauhaus-Galan. He won the competition in 1:43.23s improving his world athletics score to 1228. However, it's his blazing run at the 2024 Diamond League in Paris that has caught everyone's attention.

Djamel Sedjati ran the third-fastest 800m in history to win the competition in a photo finish at the 2024 Paris Diamond League. Sedjati has set himself as the man to beat in the event at the Paris Olympics 2024 and will be a favorite to take home the gold. It also puts him in the league of the greatest 800m runners, with only two men having run faster than him, David Rudisha and Wilson Kipketer.

Emmanuel Wanyonyi, who finished 2nd in 1:41.58, ran the fourth fastest 800m race of all time while third-placed Gabriel Tual ran the fifth fastest of all time in 1:41.61. Sedjati improved his personal best to 1:14.46 five days later at the Herculius Meeting International.

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Djamel Sedjati's career overview

World Athletics Championships Oregon22 - Day Nine (Source: GETTY)

Djamel Sedjati rose to prominence in 2021 after clocking some fast 800m races in Algeria. He qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics following a 1:44.91 run in Strasbourg, France in June that year. The 25-year-old also ran as a pacemaker for Yassine Hethat, helping him qualify for the Olympic Games.

However, at the Olympic Games, Sedjati wasn't able to run the 800m after testing positive for coronavirus on July 24th. He was put into quarantine along with teammate Bilal Tabti, resulting in both missing the huge opportunity.

Djamel Sedjati redeemed himself with a silver medal at the 2022 World Championships that took place in the USA. He ran an impressive 1:44.14 to take the second place and now looks all set for Olympic glory at Paris 2024.