Kenyan women runners showed their power at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. 

In the 800m, defending champion Mary Moraa and top qualifier Lilian Odira moved into the semi-finals. 

Even more impressively, the nation’s elite long-distance runners—Beatrice Chebet, Faith Kipyegon, and Agnes Jebet—all easily qualified for the 5000m final. 

This series of dominant performances continues Kenya’s strong track and field history, having already secured seven medals (4 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze) in the Tokyo championships.

The two-lap event saw a blend of veteran determination and breakout speed. 

Mary Moraa, the 2023 World Champion who won in Budapest with a personal best of 1:56.03, finished second in her heat with a time of 1:58.44. 

Moraa’s advance shows her resilience despite a challenging 2025 season where she had only four wins in 14 races before the championships.

Adding serious firepower to the Kenyan challenge is Lilian Odira, who recorded the fastest qualifying time of the day by winning her heat in a superb 1:57.86. 

This performance confirms her potential, following a season where she set a personal best of 1:56.52 at the Silesia Diamond League. 

Unfortunately, not all Kenyans made it, as Sarah Moraa (Mary’s younger sister) and Vivian Kiprotich were eliminated, highlighting the fiercely competitive nature of the 800m event.

Kenya’s long-distance powerhouse trio—composed of multiple world and Olympic champions—all qualified for Saturday’s 5000 m final, setting the stage for a potential medal sweep.

This latest success contributes to Kenya’s remarkable legacy in athletics. 

Historically, Kenya ranks second globally in total World Athletics Championships medals, with a total of 171 medals (65 gold, 58 silver, and 48 bronze) won through 2023, with the vast majority coming in the middle- and long-distance events. 

The country’s athletes have already secured four gold, one silver, and two bronze medals at the Tokyo 2025 Championships, and the women’s distance stars are poised to add to that tally.