Why Mercy Oketch Is Not Fully Satisfied Despite Winning on Diamond League Debut

Mercy Oketch has explained why she is not happy despite claiming victory in the women’s 400m in her first Diamond League Meeting.

Competing at the Diamond League Meeting in Brussels on Friday night, in the women’s 400m invitational race, the Kenyan was in a class of her own as she claimed victory in 51.26 seconds.

She beat the duo of Imke Vervaet and Helena Ponette, who finished second and third in respective times of 51.27 and 52.45 seconds.

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Going into the race, Mercy Oketch explained that she wanted to achieve a faster time and had done all she could, but ultimately failed to meet her expectations.

She revealed that her focus is now on preparing for the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, where she intends to make a statement.

“No, I am not completely happy with this time, but I did the best I could. This is my first Diamond League race ever, and I really enjoyed it,” Mercy Oketch said after the race.

“It was nice to compete in such a packed stadium. I am not sure when my next race will be, maybe Tokyo.”

Mercy Oketch started her season with the 400m at the Sprints Build-up & Trials for World Athletics Relays Championships before heading to the 5th AK Track & Field Weekend Meeting/Relay Series.

Mercy Oketch then competed in the 4x400m relay and 4x400m mixed relay at the World Athletics Relays.

She went ahead and reigned supreme in the women’s 400m at the Kip Keino Classic and then went ahead to make a mark at the Kenya Defence Forces Track and Field Championships.

Competing at the Kenyan Championships, Oketch won the 400m before heading to the Czesław Cybulski Memorial, Meeting International de Marseille, and Meeting Madrid 2025.

Mercy Oketch then raced at the trials for the World Championships, winning the 4x400m relay since she had already secured a ticket in the 400m.

She has since competed in the women’s 400m at the Gyulai István Memorial, a Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix, before rounding up the podium at the Internationales Nordthüringer Leichtathletikmeeting. She now looks forward to making history with Kenya at the World Championships.