Kenya: Moraa Chuffed With Her Maiden Career Olympic Medal in Paris

8 August 2024
Capital FM (Nairobi)
By Alex Isaboke

Paris, France — There is an old adage in sports that those who win bronze medals at the Olympics are actually happier than those who clinch silver.

This is for the simple reason that the runner-ups regret more about how they narrowly missed out on gold, while those in third place are simply happy to be on the podium.

Reigning 800m World Champion Mary Moraa won gold medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, a bronze medal in the event at the 2022 Worlds, got eliminated in Tokyo Olympics semis and chalked up gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Since her early days as a junior in 2017, Moraa has spent years making sacrifices and honing her craft with zeal and vigor and is glad to finally realize her ultimate dream of bringing home an Olympic medal.

She was among those tipped for gold in the women's 800m in Paris but not until Keely Hodgkinson handed Team GB her gold. Hodgkinson timed 1:56.72, ahead of Ethiopia's Tsige Duguma on 1:57.15 and Kenya's Mary Moraa on 1:57.42.

"I'm happy for my best performance at the Olympics because at the 2020 Games in the Japanese capital, I reached the semis. Now I have a bronze and I am happy with everything and performance. The race was good."

Moraa was left to rue the pain inflamed by an injury to his leg.

"Depending on how I ran my race, my performance has been okay. I had complications with my leg. I was feeling my body was responding well until the last 80-meters," Moraa said.

"I started feeling some pain in my leg, so I fought to the finish. And I said to myself that I will be confident with my position. Being a lone range in the final was a bit difficult for me though without any Kenyan. But it's God's plan and the kind of effort you put in training, so I'm happy for everything," Moraa explained.

She continued: "The way we have been training with my competitors; I believe everybody was strong it's just a matter of pushing yourself to the limit. I dedicate it (bronze) to my family. They have been supporting me. They have been encouraging me. Been with me all the time. When I need something they help me."

Moraa was mentored by Hellen Obiri since she started running in 2017 when she was a junior.

"Obiri has encouraged me over the years, talking to me as a mum and I'm happy for her support. Winning and losing is part of the game, I am happy for my opponents when they win because it is not always you. We need to encourage each other."

-Mary Moraa Fact File-

Name: Mary Moraa

Sport: 800m

Born: June 15, 2000

Weight: 56kgs

Height: 5.6ft

Personal best

200m: 25.48 (Nairobi 2017)

400m: 50.38 (Nairobi 2023) NR

800m: 1:56.03 (Budapest 2023)

1,000m: 2:34.71 (Heusden-Zolder 2021)

Mile Road: 5:11.0 (Duluth 2018)

4x400m Relay: 3:32.28 (Birmingham 2022)

4x400m Mixed Relays: 3:11.88 (Nairobi 2024)

Semifinals at the Tokyo games

-Alex Isaboke is reporting from Paris, France-

Read the original article on Capital FM.

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