Mary Moraa Discloses Shocking Pre-Race Details With Lilian Odira After Fading in 800m Final

Mary Moraa has opened up about unexpected challenges and a key moment with Lilian Odira before the 800m final.

Mary Moraa has broken her silence after the women’s 800m final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.

The Olympic 800m bronze medallist went into the race with the hope of defending her title, but faded to an eighth-place finish in a season’s best time of 1:57.10.

Lilian Odira claimed the win in the race, crossing the finish line in a personal best and championship record time of 1:54.62 to erase the long-standing record of 1:54.68, set by Czech legend Jarmila Kratochvilova back in 1983.

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The Great Britain duo of Georgia Hunter Bell and Keely Hodgkinson finished second and third in respective times of 1:54.90 and 1:54.91.

After the race, the 2023 world champion Mary Moraa revealed that she was feeling unwell after the semifinal of the women’s 800m.

The 2022 world 800m bronze medallist added that the night before the final, she had a conversation with Lilian Odira on how best they could retain the 800m title in Kenya.

Mary Moraa pointed out that the plan was to go out fast in the first 400m, and then Lilian Odira would either join her then or in the final lap, and clearly, the mother of two opted to join her compatriot in the second lap.

“I can say that on Friday night, I was not feeling well and even the night before the race. I was sleeping with Lilian Odira, and I told her I would pass the 400m mark in 55.5,” Mary Moraa revealed.

“I told her if she felt like she was comfortable following my pace, it was okay, and if she came and passed later on, it was also okay. I went out faster, and Lilian Odira came when we were finishing the race, and our plan worked well.”

The Commonwealth Games 800m champion now heads to Athlos, Alexis Ohanian’s women-only event scheduled for October 10, 2025.

Mary Moraa noted that after a troubled season, she is happy to have reached the final of the women’s 800m, and as she prepares for her final race of the season, she wants to make the most of it and bounce back stronger in 2026.

“I have one more race to go and am ready to go there to compete. The season has been long. I’ve been going through a lot,” Mary Moraa revealed.

“I thank God I reached the finals and ran a good race. I’m really happy with the training, the way my coach has been talking to me and the support from my colleagues and fans.”

Mary Moraa has had a tough 2025 season, starting with her opener at the Grand Slam Track leg in Kingston, finishing a distant eighth.

Mary Moraa then went ahead to claim top honours in the 800m in Miami before dipping to fifth in Philadelphia. She then proceeded to the Diamond League Meeting in Stockholm, where she finished second.

Mary Moraa later faded to ninth at the Prefontaine Classic. She finished 12th in the 1000m at the Diamond League Meeting in Monaco and then headed to the World Athletics Championships.