Moraa stars at Oregon to bag bronze in 800m race
Mary Moraa won Kenya her 10th and Kenya’s final medal in what has been a subdued World Athletics Championships for Kenya which reached a pinnacle in Eugene Oregon yesterday.
With her bronze medal, Kenya finished the standings with two gold medals, five silver and three bronze medals.
Kenya relinquished all five gold medals won in Doha, Qatar in 2019 but there was reprieve with reclaiming glory in women’s 1500m and men’s 800m.
In Doha, Kenya won 11 medals; five gold, two silver and four bronze finishing second behind the USA. In the just concluded Oregon event, they finished fourth behind table toppers the United States of America and second-placed Ethiopia and Jamaica in the third position.
“Just wow, I am extremely excited, I have just run a personal best in the final,” said Moraa after her new mark of 1:56.71 guaranteed her the final podium position.
“I want to work towards winning a world title and join Janeth Jepkosgei and Eunice Sum in that elite category,” she declared.
Her major senior medal comes a year after failing to reach the final at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
“I have worked on myself and gained confidence, you know this is only my second season as an 800m runner, so I am getting there,” said the 22-year-old the 2017 World Under 19 400m silver medallist who has kept the 2007 Osaka World 800m champion Jepkosgei as a close confidant in the two-lap race.
And at the Hayward Field in Oregon yesterday, she worked hard for her medal.
She clocked a lifetime best for the second time in less than a month, having done so during the National Trials last month.
Olympic Champion Athing Mu of the USA held on for gold in front of the home fans, clocking a world-leading time of 1:56.30 ahead of Keely Hodgkinson of Britain who clocked 1:56.38.
Moraa, Kenya’s sole representative in the race was fourth as the athletes went through the first lap with Mu, the Olympic champion using her long strides to command the lead.
The Kenyan began to charge up for the top at the back straight and with only 100m to go, she ensured she did enough to guard her place in bronze, ensuring Ethiopian Diribe Welteji was at a safe distance.
“It is no secret Jepkosgei has been a great source in my training, telling me how to spread my energies across the distance and when to strike. It can only get better,” said Moraa
The national 400m record holder new focus will be on the Commonwealth Games starting on Thursday in Birmingham where she will feature in both the 400m and 800m races.
“I am already looking forward to my next assignment, I peeked at the right time, so I will love to continue with that momentum in Birmingham,” she said.
