Mary Moraa bags bronze for Kenya in 800m

Kenya’s Mary Moraa claimed the country’s last medal at the World Athletics Championships when she settled for bronze in the women’s 800m final in Oregon, United States on Monday.

Moraa clocked a personal best time of one minute and 56.71 seconds to lose the battle to Olympic champion Athing Mu of the United States, who struck gold in 1:56.30.

Keely Hodgkinson from Britain timed 1:56.38 for silver. Moraa exploits came moments after Jacob Krop gave Kenya silver in men’s 5,000m.

Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji led the pack at the bell at 57.09 with Mu, Hodgkinson and Moraa in hot pursuit.

Mu swung to the lead with 300m to go in 1:11.98, before clocking 1:26.79 with 200m left as Hodgkinson and Moraa chased in a mad sprint to the finish line.

Kenya ended the championships with 10 medals; two gold, five silvers and three bronze.

Olympic champions Faith Chepng’etich (1,500m) and Emmanuel Korir (800m) won gold medals for Kenya in their specialty.

Beatrice Chebet (5,000m), Hellen Obiri (10,000m), Judith Jeptum (marathon), Stanley Waithaka (10,000m) and Jacob Krop( 5,000m) gave the country silver medals.

Margaret Chelimo (10,000m), Mary Moraa (800m) and Conseslus Kipruto (3,000m) settled for bronze.

Kenya’s performance in Oregon took a slump as compared to the previous 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships.

The country relinquished all its five titles from Doha in women’s marathon, men and women’s 3,000m steeplechase, women’s 5,000m and men’s 1,500m, but recaptured the women’s 1,500m and men’s 800m.