Moraa speaks on world winning race plan and source of inspiration in budding career

New 800m World Champion Mary Moraa’s tactic on a special Sunday night at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary was ‘just to follow the rest’ especially as soon as she saw her main rivals on the day - Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson and United States’ Athing Mu - move ahead of her as the athletes came together in the opening lap.

Speaking to Citius Mag after her win, the Commonwealth Games champion narrated on how her race transpired, key figures in her career, and the plans or lack thereof, she had for next year’s Olympic Games.

“I choose to be the one following in the first lap,” Moraa said, in response to having Mu and Hodgkinson surge ahead of her. “As we reached the 600m mark, it was when I decided to push, and as soon as we got to 150m remaining, I was at par with Mu (the then leader) and on the second lane.

“With 50m to go, I just decided it was time to go and that’s how I became champion.”

Her winning time, even as she took a power leap on the finish line, was a personal best 1:56.03, which was not what she had initially targeted.

“I had a goal of being around 1:56.9 or 1:57,” Moraa admitted.

The aforementioned Hodgkinson and defending champion Mu came second and third respectively clocking 1:56.34 and 1:56.61 respectively.

Winning her first World Championships gold medal was special for her, given that she was third in last year’s competition in Oregon, and was at some point after the 2019 Championships in Doha, Qatar, questioning her athletics career.

“I was running the 400m in 2019 and I dropped out in the semis,” Moraa recounted as the women’s 3000m steeplechase world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech - straight off her silver medal at Budapest - passed by. “My friends - pointing to Chepkoech- and Hellen Obiri - who had broken the Championships Record in winning the women’s 5000m - all had medals but I didn’t. I thought to myself; ‘Why am I running’, but they encouraged me and here I am now.”

Asked on how it felt to finally win the worlds she said: “Very happy for this big win which is a big achievement this season. Just want to say thank you to my coach (Alex Sang), family and my boyfriend for their support on this journey.”

On what stood next for her, Moraa wasn’t ready for any talk about next season, saying that she had a few races remaining in the Diamond League - which she is hoping to defend after clinching the overall win in 2022.

It's a girl's world: Kipyegon, Moraa save Kenya's face in Budapest as championships conclude

Africa U20 champion, Commonwealth Games champion, Diamond League winner and now World Champion. Not a bad resume for a 23 year old just getting started!