Paris Olympics: Moraa through to 800m final as Odira, Chebet fall short

Kenya’s hopes for more than a medal in the Paris Olympic Games 800m race are off as Mary Moraa will be a lone ranger in the final.

Three Kenyans had made it to the semifinals held on Sunday night at the Stade de France, but it was the world champion who sailed through after winning Heat One.

Her compatriots; Vivian Chebet and Lilian Odira, who were all making their first appearances in the Games, failed to clear the last hurdle to the final.

Moraa, who is considered a strong candidate for the gold medal, won Heat One seamlessly, unleashing top gear inside the final 100m to overtake Mesele Worknesh, who had threatened to win the race.

The Commonwealth Games champion clocked 1:57.86, with Mesele finishing second in a personal best of 1:58.06

While Moraa was expected to book a place in the final given her championship experience, Odira and Chebet will be proud of their performances in their first appearance.

Odira finished fourth in Heat Three with a personal best of 1:58.53 in a race won by silver medalist Keely Hodgkinson of Great Britain.

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Hodgkinson clocked 1:56.86 to qualify alongside Prudence Sekgodiso of South Africa.

Chebet on the other hand, was last in Heat 2 despite clocking an impressive 1:59.64.

She fought her way to the semis through the repechage on Saturday, but fortunes were not on her side as she struggled to keep up with the breathtaking pace.

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Ethiopia’s Duguma Tsige won the heat after stopping the clock in a personal best of 1:57.47.

Maloney Shafiqua of St. Vincent and the Grenadines finished second with a national record of 1:57.59.

There will be a new champion this year, as Athing Mu of the United States of America didn’t qualify for the Games.