Mary Moraa celebrates after winning 800m gold in Budapest.[Courtesy]

Mary Moraa is a World champion.

The Commonwealth Games champion on Saturday inched her name into the annals of Kenya’s greatest 800m runners after clocking a Personal Best time of 1:56.03 to win gold as curtains come down on the 2023 World Championships in Budapest.

Moraa, 23, recaptured the title Kenya won a decade ago when she sprinted past defending champion Athing Mu of the USA in the final 100m lap to win Kenya’s third gold medal.

With a competitive field that included British Keely Hodgkinson and Mu, Moraa had to have her tactics on point for her to improve the bronze medal she won in Oregon last year to gold, an achievement she accomplished.

Hodgkinson won silver after finishing second in a time of 1:56.34 while the American went home with the bronze medal after her time of 1:56.61.