Moraa will be lone ranger in 800m semis on Thursday
Athletics
By
Stephen Rutto
| Aug 23, 2023
Commonwealth champion Mary Moraa will be the only Kenyan woman in the 800m semi-finals at the World Championships on Thursday.
Moraa who took to the start line of Heat Two, her gigantic confidence on Wednesday cruised to the top place on her journey to Friday's semi-finals.
An in-top Moraa is in Budapest to upgrade her 2022 World Championships bronze.
However, she will be the sole Kenyan woman after her compatriots Vivian Kiprotich and Naomi Korir failed to make the top three in their respective heats.
Moraa stuck with the leading pack from the start in a well-judged race and unleashed a blistering acceleration in the last 100m to win Heat Two in 1:59.89, securing an automatic slot in the semis.
Raevyn Rogers of the USA and Worknesh Mesele of Ethiopia proceeded to the semi-finals after coming in second and third in 2:00.06 and 2:00.13.
Vivian Kiprotich bowed out of the global contest after finishing fourth in Heat One.
She was fourth at the bell but could not produce a kick enough to outsprint the leading group of Heat One winner, Great Britain's Keely Hodgkinson, second-placed Prudence Sekgodiso (Russia), and Eveliina Maattanen (Finland), who finished third.
Naomi Korir, also failed to qualify after finishing a distant seventh in Heat Three, leaving Moraa as the sole Kenyan woman in the hunt for a medal in the 800m.
Moraa will be among 24 women who will tomorrow be battling for a spot in the 800m final which will be run on Sunday.