NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 30 – Mary Moraa will be Kenya’s only hope of a medal in the 800m at the Tokyo Olympic Games after earning automatic qualification from the heats on Friday, finishing third in her heat in a time of 2:01.66.
Kenya’s other representative, overall team Captain Eunice Sum, missed out of the semis after finishing sixth in her heat in a time of 2:03.00 in her third appearance at the Olympic Games.
Sum could not sustain the final kicking power after looking to be on course for a fight at the bell. She lost out steam in the last 200m in a race won by Jamaica’s Natoya Goule who clocked a sub-two minute finish, stopping the clock in 1:59.83.
Benin’s Noelie Yarigo was second while Norway’s Hedda Hynne was third, picking the last automatic qualification slot from the heat.
Moraa meanwhile showed intent from the gun, taking to the lead for the first 400m. However, she found herself boxed to the inside lane throughout the final 400, but she managed to slide out in the final 200m and put up a powerful sprint in the final 50m to squeeze through as third.
The two favourites from the heat, USA’s Raevyn Rogers and Great Britain’s Keely Hodkinson finished first and second respectively.
Emily Tuwei, Kenya’s other representative in the 800m finished last in her heat.
