Lilian Odira stuns rich 800m field to earn automatic spot to Paris Olympics

One time national champion Lilian Odira stunned race favorites in the Paris 2024 Olympics Kenya trials as she took a surprise win in the women’s 800m final to book herself a ticket at the Summer Games.

The 25-year-old, who was among the outsiders for a place at this year’s Olympic Games, cranked up her gear as the intense race at the Nyayo National Stadium got to the homestretch, breezing past World Champion Mary Moraa to clock an impressive time of 1:59.27 that is inside the qualification mark.

Moraa, who was wildly jubilant to see her younger sister Sarah Moraa finish third in a time of 1:59.39, also guaranteed herself a spot at the Olympic Games with a second-place finish clocking 1:59.35.

“I give praise to God and to my coaches for helping me achieve this,” Odira, who initially held a personal best time of 2:00.81 set this year at the African Games, said post-race.

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On the race strategy that saw her hang around leader Mary Moraa in the opening lap before exploding at the finish, she said: “800m is not an easy race and so I always worked on my finishing. That’s how I managed to get the win.”

Odira, winner of the Kenya Championships in May, is now hoping to bring home a medal as she competes in the African Senior Championships in Cameroon later this month, before embarking on a special journey to the Olympics.

Former World Relay silver-medalist Naomi Korir on the other hand settled for a fourth-place finish timing 1:59.72 as this year's African Games bronze medal winner Vivian Chebet came home fifth clocking 2:00.44.

Sarah Moraa, who is yet to hit the Olympic standard time, has her fate on the balance as she also departs to Cameroon, but could still earn a third spot if selected by Athletics Kenya.