Moraa, Mwasya and Korir set to reclaim 800m title

Mary Moraa lead 800M Women race during Athletics Kenya Trials for World Championships and Commonwealth Games at The Moi International sports Center, Kasarani Stadium, June 25, 2022. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Mary Moraa, the 2017 World Under 20 silver medallist over 400m, is a strong contender for a medal in the women's 800m alongside Americans Athing Mu and Ajee Wilson at the ongoing World Athletics Championships in Oregon. 

Moraa is among the five women who have run sub two minutes this season. She will battle in the women's 800m heats today morning.  

Moraa produced a solid sub-two-minute mark this season at the Kenyan trials where she ran her personal best of 1:57.45 and Stockholm Diamond League last month where she clocked 1:57.68.

She will be in the company of Jarinter Mwasya and Naomi Korir as Kenya seek to reclaim the gold medal it last won in 2013, Moscow through Eunice Sum.

The absence of Caster Semenya of South Africa who dominated the event until she was barred by World Athletics’ differences of sexual development (DSD) rules introduced in 2019 alongside Burundian Francine Niyonsaba has propel other runners to take up the space in the two-lap race.

Moraa, a Kenyan policewoman, announced her presence in the two-lap event when she comfortably won Diamond League win in Rabat last month and is optimistic her hard work in training will steer her to better performance in Oregon.

"Personally, I am hoping to be in peak form by the time the World Championship comes around. The win in Rabat was a fresh start for me and has renewed my motivation," said Moraa after winning her Kenyan trials.

Mwasya, a KDF officer, produced superb performance at African Senior Athletics Championships last month in Mauritius and will hope to execute the same energy at the World Championships.

The 25-year-old ran 1:59.84 in Toulouse, France and will be making debut at the global showpiece and hopes for positive results in America.

“Things are looking good for me this season, and I believe the best is yet to come, making my debut at the World Championships is a great achievement for me, and this comes just weeks after winning continental gold medal in 800m,"said Mwasya, who is coached by Peter Bii in Iten, said in a past interview.

Korir, a silver medallist in mixed 2x2x400m relay at the 2021 World Relay Championships in Poland and silver medallist in 4x400m relays at the 22 Africa Senior Athletics Championship in Mauritius is looking forward to a strong footing in the event as well as breaking the sub two minutes barriers. Her personal best stands at 2:00.06.

The Kenyans will get tough opposition from Mu and Wilson of the United States. Mu, an Olympic champion, has been so effective that she has defeated all her opposition in the last two years.

Mu has a season best of 1:57.01 while her compatriot Wilson has run 1:58.23 this season. Raevyn Rogers will also be in the mix for the United States.

Back to East Africans, Halimah Nakaayi, the defending champion from Uganda will be eyeing her title defence and show the world that her Doha victory was not fluke.

Other runners to look out for are Natoya Goule of Jamaica, Keely Hodgkinson of Britain has the fastest time in 800m of 1:57.20 and easily produced a podium finish.