Odira hoping to build on Nanjing experience for successful Tokyo campaign

Paris Olympian and African 800m silver medalist Lillian Odira is doing all that is needed in preparation for a successful World Championships campaign in Tokyo in September this year.

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Speaking to Athletics Kenya media, Odira says the global competition is top of her to-do list for 2025 and is keen to avoid an injury in the build-up to the event.

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“Training has been going well so far. The ultimate goal is to qualify for the World Championships, and I hope to remain healthy. I am also working and praying to make the team for the competition,” she offered.

The 26-year-old opened her season with a third-place finish in the women's 2km race at the National Cross Country Championship on 8 February. She followed that up with a second place at the Sirikwa Classic, a week after winning her first 800m indoor race of the season in Lyon.

She would then make Team Kenya for this year's World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, where she made the semis after clocking 2:04.46 in her heat for second place. A 2:16.12 show in the semis saw her miss out on the final won by South Africa's Prudence Sekgodiso in 1:58.40.

She raced back-to-back 1500m races winning her heat and the final at the fifth AK Track and Field Weekend meeting at the Ulinzi Sports Complex on Saturday 26 April, clocking 4:22.56 and 4:21.5 respectively.

With the global event's women's 800m qualification set at 1:59.00, she has already achieved that from her last three races in 2024 at the Paris Olympics and in Zagreb.

The challenge remains making the highly competitive Team Kenya, where she battles for a place with, among others, reigning Olympic bronze medalist and former world champion Mary Moraa.

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