Mary Moraa storms to victory in the Stockholm Diamond League
22 year old Olympian Mary Moraa defied all odds to win the 800m race in Stockholm, Sweden setting a time of 1:57.68 beating highly ranked American Olympic silver medalist Keeley Hodkinson who finished second in 1:58.18.
From the start, Moraa quickly bolted upfront to secure herself space in the inner lane and perched herself second on the shadow of pacer Sarah Billings.
Once the Australian rolled off after her pacing duties were over after 400m, Moraa stepped her foot down and began to steam away, accelerating the pace with Keeley fighting to keep up with the pace. The recent Kenya trials winner soon left the pack to dead yet again establishing her brilliance in the international stage.
With the remarkable feat, Moraa’s Personal Best time was 1min, 58.93secs set last month at the Rabat leg of the World Athletics Diamond League. Owing to this accomplishment, Moraa qualified to run at the World Athletics Championships and looks set to be Kenya’s sole representative with no one else having hit the qualifying standard.
Elsewhere, pole vault star Mondo Duplantis soared to 6.16m Diamond League record in Stockholm on a night that sees Lorraine Ugen and Dina Asher-Smith among the British winners.
Mondo Duplantis may have vaulted higher indoors with 6.20m in Belgrade earlier this year, but his 6.16m clearance in Stockholm on Thursday (June 30) was the best ever height outdoors. In addition to being an outdoor world best, it was a Diamond League, meeting and Swedish record.
