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Why Mary Moraa dedicated her world title to Hellen Obiri

Mary Moraa has explained why she dedicated her World 800m title to the reigning Boston Marathon champion Hellen Obiri.

World 800m champion Mary Moraa has disclosed the reason why she dedicated her title to her mentor Hellen Obiri.

The Commonwealth Games champion singled out Obiri, a two-time World 5000m champion, as a great pillar in her career.

Speaking to Nation Sport, Moraa noted that she sees Obiri as her elder sister and she always checks up on her.

Obiri has played a vital role in Moraa’s career since she gifted Kisii Express her first spikes when she began her professional career. The Boston Marathon champion also encouraged Moraa to switch from the 400m to the 800m where she is currently dominating.

“I want to single out Hellen Obiri who has been encouraging me to be consistent on the track as the person who ensured I clinched the gold.

"Obiri is my elder sister and mentor who always checks on me hence I am proud of her,” Moraa said during her heroic homecoming party at the Ichuni grounds in Nyaribari Masaba constituency.

Meanwhile, at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Moraa was in a class of her own as she destroyed a strong field to clinch top honours in the 800m race.

She clocked a Personal Best time of 1:56.03. Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson and USA’s Athing Mu finished second and third respectively in the hotly contested race.

Owing to her win, she became just but the third Kenyan to win the 800m on the global stage after Janeth Jepkosgei and Eunice Sum who won the titles during the 2007 and 2013 editions of the World Championships.

Moraa was also on fire this season, only losing one 800m where she finished fourth at the Prefontaine Classic, the final Diamond League Meeting.