Mary Moraa now shifts full focus on Olympic gold medal
After giving a good account of herself at the World Championships in Hungary, Kenya’s sensational runner Mary Moraa says her main target now is to clinch a gold medal at the Paris Olympics next year.
Nicknamed “The Dancing Queen”, Moraa is dreaming big once more after a stellar show on Sunday that saw her win her first gold medal at the World Championships clocking a personal best of 1:56.03.
“My main target now is the 2024 Paris Olympics when that time comes God will plan again for me, but wining a gold medal there is my big target”, Moraa outlined.
Moraa’s journey to global athletics stardom has been characterized by patience and hard work and her rise from grass to grace is something admirable.
She was introduced to the international realm during the World Under -18 Championships that were staged on home soil Nairobi and gave an impression of a good future in the sport when she grabbed a silver medal in Girls 400m.
Three years later, she stretched her excellence by winning a rare gold medal at the African Championships in Abidjan, Ivory Cost before announcing her arrival at the World Championships in Eugene last year when she claimed a bronze medal in her debut in women’s 800m.
By winning a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last summer, it was a clear sign that it was only a matter of time before claiming a World Championships title in her specialty.
The 23-year-old recounts moments prior to the 800m final on Sunday evening at the charged National Athletics Stadium in Budapest where she danced her way to a magnificent victory.
“There was huge tension prior to that final. I was not feeling okay, my body was not even ready for the warm up, my coaches were there talking to me but I did not want to see anyone near me at that time. However, I gathered strength and went into the race and won. I cant really explain what was happening”.
Moraa became the only third Kenya to win a gold medal at the World Championships after Janeth Jepkosgei (Osaka 2017) and Eunice Sum (Moscow 2013).
If she takes her brilliance to Paris and a register another big win, she will be the second Kenya to achieve the golden fete in women’s 800m at the Olympics after the great Pamela Jelimo who stopped the world in Beijing 2008.
