Odira now eyes place in final as she makes her Olympics debut

Lilian Odira (left) when she won the 800m final during the Olympics trials ahead of world champion Mary Moraa at Nyayo Stadium last month. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

Women’s 800m Olympics trials winner Lilian Odira cannot wait to be in France for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Her goals in the city of love during the Summer Games will be to reach the final, lower her Personal Best and make it to the podium.

The new African silver medalist has projected that the expected star-studded race in Paris will be much more tactical than ever. To her, the contest will be won by brains apart from brawn.

“I know everybody will be in shape then, what will triumph here is the mind game, that’s why I’m working on my mental toughness,” Odira told Standard Sports at her training base in Kasarani, Nairobi.

The former national schools champion is hopeful to surprise many in Paris, the same way she did at the Kenya national trials for the Olympics last month where she relegated the World and Commonwealth Games champion Mary Moraa to second place.

“This is the reason I’m dwelling on my speed and endurance, apart from being psychologically prepared. I want to be on level par with the other world beaters,” she said.

When asked what was her secret weapon in the hotly contested Kenyan trials held at the historic Nyayo National Stadium that left her a household name across the country, the 25-year-old mother of two said: “I was just confident, it’s the confidence that won me the race, I was very tactical and this was boosted with the adequate preparation I had before the trials. I also believed in my coach (Jacinta Muraguri) and the kind of tactics she has instilled in me.”

The Kenya Prisons Officer explains Moraa and her will run their own tactical races in their heats at the Olympics before they execute their game plan in case they all make it to the finals.

“The plot we are hatching is meant to ensure Kenya get medals in the championship, we are praying and hoping that all works out,” she said.

And how does she feel qualifying for her first ever Olympics?

“It feels nice, it’s a great achievement for my career, it’s my first global competition so I feel really excited for it. I feel I have achieved but again I feel I’m not yet started.

“It’s great to be part of Team Kenya for this global outing, I can’t believe I’m now associating with champions from across the world at the camp.”

The former East Africa School Games bronze medalist’s quest for a gong in Paris has been boosted with a silver medal she won last month in Douala, Cameroon during the Africa Senior Athletics Championships.

The feat achieved in her second international outing, after the East Africa Schools Games, is a great show that her career is on an upward scale.

“At the African Games early this year I was fourth, now I have won silver, can you guess what I’m going for in Paris?” she posed. In the next five years, the Migori born and bred athlete wants to be a permanent fixture in the two-lap race in global meets like the Diamond League, the World Championships, the Commonwealth Games among others.

“I want my talent to remain there, I want to be like my role models Moraa, Helen Obiri and Faith Kipyegon who have become global stars,” she said.

Odira started her athletics career back in high school at St. Peters Keberesi Secondary in Kisii. Her perseverance, discipline, hard work and confidence saw her become a national champion in 2016. She went ahead to bag Kenya bronze at the East African Schools Games same period.

After high school she went to Kenya Prisons Staff Training College. After that she linked up with coach Benard Ouma of Rongai Athletics Club to revive her athletics career.

The athletics dream was hampered by the Covid-19 pandemic. She seized the opportunity to go for maternity break.

After maternity, Odira’s athletics career has been on good trajectory; representing Kenya at the African Games in Ghana, Africa Championships and now her sights are on the Olympics.

“I want to thank my Kenya Prisons bosses, led by my coach Muraguri. They have totally supported me with all the logistics needed to take my career to another level. They have given me time and space to train without disturbance,” said, Odira who recently penned contract with Moyo Sports.