Nairobi — Mary Moraa became the third Kenyan to win the 800m women's title at the World Athletics Championships when she ran a super calculative race in Budapest to edge out defending champion Athing Mu of the United States.
Moraa upgraded her bronze from Eugene last year to gold, with a massive personal best, timing 1:56.03 with Great Britain's Keeley Hodgkinson timing 1:56.34 for silver while defending champion Mu clocked 1:56.61 for bronze at third.
A little jig at the finish, in what has now become a trademark for Moraa, showed just how much the gold meant to her, just over a year after winning the Commonwealth Games title.
She had run a patient race, running behind Mu who crossed over the first 400m in 56.01. Moraa kept her cool and waited for the opportune time to attack.
At the home stretch, the Kenyan put in a trademark kick and began to accelerate, with Mu finding it hard to keep up.
Hodgkinson had stolen some few yards off space in the inside lane and had threatened to catch up with Moraa after gliding past the American, but the Kenyan girls ensured she kept the distance safe for her first ever world title.
