Mary Moraa vows to win gold in the Paris Olympics.

Mary Moraa reacted with a mix of relief and determination after securing her spot in the final of the 800m event at the Paris Olympic Games. 

Moraa, who changed her usual front-running tactics, executed a strategic race by coming from behind to win the first semi-final in a time of one minute and 57.86 seconds.

Following her victory, Moraa expressed both joy and a sense of responsibility.

“During Tokyo, I was eliminated in the semi-finals. I’ve bounced back, and now I am in the finals. I feel the pressure, but I carry with me the hopes of my country in this race,” she said.

In the semi-finals, we witnessed a fierce competition where emerging stars showcased their talent. 

Worknesh Mesele from Ethiopia secured the second automatic qualifying spot with a personal best time of 1:58.06, while Tsige Duguma, also from Ethiopia, led from start to finish in the second semi-final, clocking a personal best of 1:57.47. 

Shafiqua Maloney of Vincentian set a national record with a time of 1:57.59, closely following Duguma and securing her final spot.

Unfortunately, national 800m champion Lillian Odira and Vivian Chebet faced disappointment, with Odira finishing fourth and Chebet last in their respective semi-finals. 

Despite being the Africa 800m silver medallist, Odira could not surpass the strong competition in her heat, which world leader Keely Hodginson won from Great Britain in an impressive 1:56.86. 

In the same semi-final, Prudence Sekgodiso from South Africa also performed well, clocking 1:57.57 to secure the second spot.

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