Mary Moraa out to dominate in Doha Diamond League
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Reading Time: 3min | Wed. 08.05.24. | 10:53
Her biggest threat in Doha is Reekie, the British indoor mile record holder (4:17.88)
In her second 800m race this season, World champion Mary Moraa will clash with the World Indoor Championships silver medalist Jemma Reekie at the third Diamond League meet in Doha on Friday 10 May.
The 23-year-old is part of a host of Olympic and world medalists who will, be welcomed to the Qatar Sports Club where organisers aim to, provide the perfect stage for top-quality performances.
In a packed programme, event highlights are expected to include the men’s javelin, men’s long jump, women’s 800m, men’s 400m, men’s 1500m, and women’s pole vault.
Moraa, the Kenyan record holder over 400m (50.38), who won the African Games 400m title in March, clocked 1:57.96 to win her first 800m race this season when she competed at the Kip Keino Classic, a World Athletics Continental Tour gold event on 20 April.
The Commonwealth Games champion, who lowered her personal best from 2:03.27 in 2020 to 1:56.03 with victory at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest (2023), set a meeting record and world-leading time with her performance at the Classic and is keen to build on that.
In 2022, Moraa, who has become known for her dancing celebrations, finished third at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, won Commonwealth Games gold in Birmingham, and was crowned Wanda Diamond League champion.
The progression and current form point to an even better 2024 season as she looks to leave a mark at the Paris Olympics as well as reclaim the Diamond League title.
Her biggest threat in Doha, Reekie, the British indoor mile record holder (4:17.88) rose to prominence as a double gold medalist over 800m and 1500m at the 2019 European Under-23 Championships.
She has since delivered a series of impressive championship performances including finishing runner-up at the 2024 World Indoors in Glasgow and reaching the finals of the Olympic Games in Tokyo (2021) and World Championships in Budapest (2023), finishing fourth and fifth respectively.
Her lifetime best over 800m is 1:56.90, the fourth-fastest ever by a British woman.
While Moraa has defeated Reekie five times out of seven in their most recent head-to-heads, Reekie is fast returning to the form that saw her narrowly miss the Olympic podium in Tokyo.
The field also includes World Indoor Championships bronze medalist Noélie Yarigo, Olympic finalist and Jamaican record holder Natoya Goule-Toppin, and 2019 world champion Halimah Nakaayi of Uganda.
Schedule for Doha Diamond League
17:18 100m Boys
17:26 100m Girls
17:34 4x100m Boys
17:42 4x100m Girls
17:50 400m Men Heat B
17:55 Discus Men
18:02 Pole Vault Women
18:08 800m Men
18:18 400m Men Heat A
18:23 Long Jump Men
18:28 400m Women
18:38 100m Men
18:48 400m Hurdles Men
19:04 400m Men
19:10 High Jump Women
19:13 800m Women
19:23 200m Men
19:34 1500m Women
19:42 Javelin Men
19:45 5000m Women
20:08 1500m Men
20:18 100m Hurdles Women
20:28 100m Women
20:38 400m Hurdles Men
20:48 3000m Steeplechase Men
