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Mary Moraa has reacted following her second-place finish behind Great Britain's Keely Hodgkinson at the Prefontaine Classic.
Reigning world 800m champion Mary Moraa went into the Prefontaine Classic, the Diamond League Meeting in Eugene, where she was a pre-race favourite and expected a win but ended up finishing second in the hotly-contested race.
Moraa was going up against Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson, one of the track rivals who unleashed a finishing kick and outsmarted the Kenyan to take the top prize.
Hodgkinson cut the tape first in 1:55.78, to win her first 800m of the season following her 400m personal best time she clocked in her season opener. Moraa, the Commonwealth Games champion finished second in 1:56.71 as Jemma Reekie completed the podium, clocking an impressive time of 1:57.45.
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14:45 - 23.05.2024
Why Athing Mu has withdrawn from clash against Mary Moraa & Keely Hodgkinson at Prefontaine Classic
The renewal of the rivalry between Athing Mu, Keely Hodgkinson, and Mary Moraa will have to be postponed following the Mu's withdrawal from the Prefontaine Classic.
Speaking on her Facebook page, Moraa expressed her disappointment with the second-place finish but noted that she will work harder for her next assignment. “Not the position I wanted at Prefontaine Classic but grateful for season's best 1:56.71. Trusting the process,” Moraa said.
Meanwhile, the 23-year-old has been in great form this season, starting with the 400m race to improve her speed.
She won the 400m races in the third AK track and field meeting and the African Games national trials before reigning supreme at the African Games in Accra, Ghana.
The Kenyan then proceeded to finish second in the 400m at the USTAF Los Angeles Grand Prix. In the 800m, she was off to a good start at the Kip Keino Classic before reigning supreme in the Diamond League Meeting in Doha, Qatar.
Moraa then proceeded to finish second in the Diamond League Meeting in Eugene, behind Hodgkinson. The clash had initially included Athing Mu, the reigning Olympic champion but she had to withdraw due to an injury.
Following her triumph, Hodgkinson said: “I knew I was in this kind of shape coming into it, but it doesn't really matter when you're racing these girls, it's all about what they're gonna do, what are you're gonna do—all that tactics and stuff.
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22:00 - 25.05.2024
Beatrice Chebet strikes with a world record at Prefontaine Classic to qualify for Paris 2024 Olympics
Beatrice Chebet has automatically sealed her ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in the women's 10,000m following her thrilling run at the Prefontaine Classic which bore fruits with a world record.
“I just learned to enjoy it. I think that's a big part of it and I just can't wait to keep coming out here, producing good times, producing good races and just being consistent. And I think that final in Paris is going to be insane. But I just hope to be a part of it and really challenge for the top place.
“Just the depth we have right now. Like there's new people coming left, right and center all over the world. Luckily, I have an amazing coach that does everything for me. I just turn up and trust him. I've been with him for a long time now, so I think we just have that belief that we can do it and yeah, it's down in the numbers, so we just got to keep going.”
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