Mary Moraa
- 800 m: 1:56.03 (2023)
- 400 m: 50.38 NR (2023)
- Indoors
- 800 m: 2:00.61i (2023)
Women's athletics | ||
---|---|---|
Representing ![]() | ||
World Championships | ||
![]() | 2023 Budapest | 800 m |
![]() | 2022 Eugene | 800 m |
Diamond League | ||
![]() | 2022 | 800 m |
Commonwealth Games | ||
![]() | 2022 Birmingham | 800 m |
African Games | ||
![]() | 2023 Accra | 400 m |
![]() | 2023 Accra | Mixed 4x400 m relay |
African U20 Championships | ||
![]() | 2019 Abidjan | 400 m |
World Youth Championships | ||
![]() | 2017 Nairobi | 400 m |
Mary Moraa (born 15 June 2000)[2] is a Kenyan athlete who specialises in the 800 metres. She won the gold medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, a bronze medal in the event at the 2022 World Athletics Championships and a gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Moraa is the Kenyan record holder for the 400 metres. She was the 2022 Diamond League 800 m champion.
Background
Moraa was orphaned at age 2 after the death of her father and then her mother. She grew up with her grandparents, in Kisii in western Kenya. She won an education bursary through running.[3]
Career
Mary Moraa specialized in the 400 metres distance until 2021. She made her international debut at the World Under-18 Championships in Nairobi and won the silver medal in the event with a personal best time of 53.31 seconds.[2] The following year, the 18-year-old placed fifth over the same distance at the World U20 Championships held in Tampere, Finland, clocking new best of 52.85 s in the heats.[2]
In 2019, she won in the 400 m the African U20 title, Kenyan senior title, and placed fourth at the African Games held in Rabat, Morocco.[2] She reached the semi-finals in her individual event at the Doha World Championships.[2] Her season's best was 51.75 s.[2] She made her debut in the 800 metres that year.[4]
Moraa transitioned to the 800 metres in 2020, and represented Kenya at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics in 2021 competing in the event, where she was eliminated in the semi-finals with a time of 2:00.47.[2][5]
In July 2022, Moraa won the bronze medal in the 800 m at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, clocking a personal best of 1:56.71 behind Athing Mu (1:56.30) and Keely Hodgkinson (1:56.38).[6] The following month, she won a gold in the event at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games after storming through to beat Hodgkinson in the final.[7] She went from first to last and back to first in that race.[8] In September, Moraa became the Diamond League 800 m champion after she won final in Zürich.
Achievements
Personal bests
- 400 metres – 50.38 (Nairobi 2023) NR
- 800 metres – 1:56.03 (Budapest 2023)
- 800 metres indoor – 2:00.61 (Liévin 2023)
International competitions
Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017 | World U18 Championships | Nairobi, Kenya | 22nd (h) | 200 m | 25.48 |
2nd | 400 m | 53.31 PB | |||
4th | 4 × 400 m mixed | 3:24.92 | |||
2018 | World U20 Championships | Tampere, Finland | 5th | 400 m | 52.94 |
2019 | African U20 Championships | Abidjan, Ivory Coast | 1st | 400 m | 53.57 |
African Games | Abidjan, Ivory Coast | 4th | 400 m | 51.97 | |
4th | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:32.93 | |||
World Championships | Doha, Qatar | 18th (sf) | 400 m | 52.11 | |
11th (h) | 4 × 400 m mixed | 3:17.09 | |||
2021 | World Relays | Chorzów, Poland | 13th (h) | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:39.34 SB |
– | 4 × 400 m mixed | DQ | |||
Olympic Games | Tokyo, Japan | 15th (sf) | 800 m | 2:00.47 | |
2022 | World Championships | Eugene, OR, United States | 3rd | 800 m | 1:56.71 PB |
Commonwealth Games | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 29th (h) | 400 m | 59.51 | |
1st | 800 m | 1:57.07 | |||
5th | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:32.28 | |||
2023 | World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 1st | 800 m | 1:56.03 PB |
2024 | African Games | Accra, Ghana | 1st | 400 m | 50.57 |
Circuit wins and titles, National titles
- Diamond League 800 metres champion:
2022[9]
- 800 metres wins, other events specified in parentheses
References
- ^ https://worldathletics.org/world-rankings/800m/women?regionType=world&page=1&rankDate=2023-12-26
- ^ a b c d e f g "Mary MORAA – Athlete profile". World Athletics. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
- ^ https://olympics.com/en/news/orphaned-as-a-toddler-mary-moraa-on-how-hardships-inspire-greatness
- ^ Mballa, Tony (5 May 2023). "Moraa promises more surprises this year as track season gets underway". The Star. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
- ^ Olobulu, Timothy (19 June 2021). "Conseslus, Timothy Cheruiyot out as Kenya names team for Tokyo Olympics". Capital Sports. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
- ^ Azzi, Alex (24 July 2022). "Athing Mu becomes first American woman to win 800m, keeps win streak alive". NBC Sports. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- ^ "Hodgkinson heartbreak as Moraa beats her to Commonwealth Games gold". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- ^ Gault, Jonathan (30 December 2022). "How Did THAT Happen? Remembering the Strangest Moments in Running in 2022". LetsRun.com. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ "World Leaders by Ingebrigtsen & Korir Highlight 2022 Diamond League Final". LetsRun.com. 8 September 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Mary Moraa at World Athletics
- Mary Moraa at Olympedia
- v
- t
- e
- 1983:
Jarmila Kratochvílová (TCH)
- 1987:
Sigrun Wodars (GDR)
- 1991:
Liliya Nurutdinova (URS)
- 1993:
Maria Mutola (MOZ)
- 1995:
Ana Fidelia Quirot (CUB)
- 1997:
Ana Fidelia Quirot (CUB)
- 1999:
Ludmila Formanová (CZE)
- 2001:
Maria Mutola (MOZ)
- 2003:
Maria Mutola (MOZ)
- 2005:
Zulia Calatayud (CUB)
- 2007:
Janeth Jepkosgei (KEN)
- 2009:
Caster Semenya (RSA)
- 2011:
Caster Semenya (RSA)
- 2013:
Eunice Sum (KEN)
- 2015:
Maryna Arzamasova (BLR)
- 2017:
Caster Semenya (RSA)
- 2019:
Halimah Nakaayi (UGA)
- 2022:
Athing Mu (USA)
- 2023:
Mary Moraa (KEN)