Odira makes return to Diamond League circuit against stellar field

Reigning world 800m champion Lilian Odira makes a return to the Wanda Diamond League (DL) circuit on Sunday, 31 May as she lines up against a stellar field in Rabat, Morocco.

This is her second ever appearance in the series, following last year's debut in Silesia where she clocked 1:56.52 to finish behind Britain's Keely Hodgkinson (1:54.74) while Botswana's Oratile Nowe completed the podium in 1:56.76.

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She has so far raced twice in her specialty, 800m, having opened her campaign on 24 April at the Kip Keino Classic where she clocked 1:59.15, losing to Ethiopia’s Nigist Getachew on the line in 1:58.79, as Habtam Gebeyehu sealed third place in 1:59.72.

She then switched gears at the Kenya Prisons Track and Field Championships on 8 and 9 May 8-9, dominating for a hat-trick of victories in the 1500m, 800m and 400m, a feat she admits was more about testing her endurance rather than winning. In her specialty, the 1:54.62 runner clocked 2:07.8, a time she will be looking to lower as she heads to Rabat.

Wanyonyi to kickstart Diamond League campaign in Rabat this weekend

The African Championships 2024 silver medalist has her work cut out as she goes up against a loaded field that includes Olympic silver medalist Tsige Duguma, Switzerland’s world indoor silver medalist Audrey Werro who comes in as the defending champion in Rabat.

Also on the field is USA’s world indoor bronze medalist Addison Wiley, South Africa’s 2025 world indoor champion Prudence Sekgodiso, and Botswana’s Nowe.

Most notably, Odira will renew rivalry with Ethiopia’s Getachew, who beat her on home soil at the Kip Keino Classic last month.

While the Rabat field does not elicit the same hype as the Eugene meeting set for 4 July, it will be a test for the Kenyan as she chases a maiden victory on the circuit, before facing the women’s 800m podium from last year’s World Athletics Championships at the Prefontaine Classic.

Odira , Great Britain’s Georgia Hunter Bell and Hodgkinson took gold, silver and bronze in a dramatic final in Tokyo, with all three women going under 1:55. They will be hoping to put on a similar show when they meet again in Eugene in a race named in honour of 800m legend Maria Mutola.

Reigning Olympic champion and two-time DL champion Hodgkinson has her eyes on the 800m world record in 2026. The current record of 1:53.28 was set by Jarmila Kratochvilova in 1983, making it the longest-standing world record in track and field.

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