Mary Moraa Wins 800m Gold for Kenya
From orphan to world champion, Mary Morra’s unstoppable journey in the 800m.
In a triumphant display, Mary Moraa from Kenya lit up the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest with her electrifying performance on Sunday, August 27. The 23-year-old sensation etched her name in history as she seized the gold medal in the women's 800m event.
Moraa, a rising star in the world of track and field, completely reversed the narrative from last year's World Championships in Oregon. She swapped her bronze medal for a resplendent gold, clocking a blistering personal best time of 1:56.03 minutes. In doing so, she fended off the fierce competition, including defending champion Athing Mu of the U.S., who settled for third place with a time of 1:56.61 minutes, and Team GB's Keely Hodgkinson, who claimed silver in 1:56.34 minutes.
As Moraa surged past the finish line, she leaped into the air, her fist raised high in jubilation, marking her second major international gold victory in just a year after triumphing at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
With a World Championship gold medal now adorning her accomplishments, Moraa has her sights set on the 2024 Olympics, where she aims to continue her meteoric rise and further solidify her status on the global stage.
Kenya's last victory in the women's 800m at the World Championships was in 2013 in Moscow, Russia, courtesy of Eunice Sum, with Janeth Jepkosgei achieving a similar feat by stunning Mozambique legend Maria Mutola in the 2007 Worlds in Osaka, Japan.
Even long after the race concluded, she remained on the track, draped in the Kenyan flag, as if unwilling to let this unforgettable moment slip away. "I surprised myself too…I wasn’t expected to win the gold," a delighted Moraa told the media as she broke into another dance. "I am happy that we (Kenyans) are slowly coming back to reclaim our race. Maybe from next year you will see a sweep."
Moraa's journey from a challenging childhood as an orphan in a remote area of Kenya to her current status as a world champion is a testament to her determination and resilience. She has undeniably shaken up the world of the 800m over the past year, especially in the face of the meteoric rise of the 21-year-old talents, Mu and Hodgkinson, who initially seemed poised to dominate the event.