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Lilian Odira upstages world and Olympic champions to win 800m title in Tokyo
Kenya's Lilian Odira celebrates after winning the women's 800m final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on September 21, 2025.
What you need to know:
- Odira tactically waited at the back before taking down four rivals at the home straight to win in a Championship Record.
- Sarah Moraa came in fourth in career best 1:55.74 with outgoing world champion Mary Moraa timing 1:57.10 for seventh.
Africa 800metres silver medallist Lilian Odira of Kenya upstaged compatriot world champion Mary Moraa and Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson from Great Britain to win the world 800m title on Sunday in Tokyo.
Odira tactically waited at the back before taking down four rivals at the home straight to win in a Championship Record and huge personal best of one minute and 54.62 seconds at the National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan on Sunday.
Moraa and Hodgkinson did much of the donkey work with Moraa hitting the bell at 55.57 as they went neck and neck.
Kenya's Lilian Odira celebrates after winning gold in women's 800m final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo September 21, 2025.
As Moraa faded away, Hodgkinson was joined at the front by compatriot Georgia Hunter Bell only for Odira to charge through on the outer lane to win and erase Jarmila Kratochvilo’s Championship Record of 1:54.68 set at the inaugural Helsinki World Athletics Championships in 1983.
Hunter Bell would settle for silver in personal best 1:54.90 as Hodgkinson clocked 1:54.91 to take bronze. Sarah Moraa, who came in fourth in career best 1:55.74 with Mary, the Commonwealth Games champion timing 1:57.10 for seventh.
Odira becomes the fourth Kenyan woman to win the world title after Janeth Jepkosgei (2007 Osaka), Eunice Sum (2013 Moscow) and Mary Moraa (2023 Budapest).
Kenya's Lilian Odira celebrates after winning the women's 800m final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on September 21, 2025.
Odira’s gold medal was the last for Kenya at the championships as the country cemented its second position in the medal standings behind USA with 11 medals; seven gold, two silver and two bronze.
In the men's 5,000m final, Kenya’s lone ranger Matthew Kipchumba Kipsang finished a distant 11th in 13:03.67.
Olympic 1,500m champion, American Cole Hocker, who was disqualified in the semi-finals, but reinstated, out four rivals in the last 200ms, to lead from half way to win in 12:58.30.
Kenyan-born Isaac Kimeli of Belgium timed 12:58.78 for silver as Jimmy Grassier from France took bronze in 12:59.33.
The world 5,000m title continued to elude Kenya for two decades with Benjamin Limo having delivered the last silverware in 2005 Helsinki.
Gold medallist Beatrice Chebet celebrates with silver medallist Faith Kipyegon after winning the final of women's 5,000m at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on September 20, 2025.
In Tokyo, just like at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, it’s the women who came to Kenya's rescue winning six of our seven gold medals with Olympic 10,000m and 5,000m champion Beatrice Chebet completing another double at the same distances.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympic marathon champion, Peres Jepchirchir reclaimed the women’s marathon title for Kenya, three-time Olympic Faith Kipyegon completed fourth historic win in 1,500m, Faith Cherotich won the 3,000m steeplechase as Odira completed the haul.
Olympic 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi recaptured the 800m for Kenya after settling for silver at 2023 Budapest.
Faith Kipyegon (5,000m) and Dorcus Ewoi (1,500m) won silver medals while Edmund Serem (3,000m steeplechase) and Reynold Kipkorir (1,500m) won bronze medals.
Gold medallist Beatrice Chebet (left) celebrates on the podium with silver medallist Faith Kipyegon during the women's 5,000m medal ceremony at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo September 21, 2025.
Tokyo's performance is Kenya's best ever in a decade. The 2015 Beijing remains Kenya’s best ever outing where the country topped the medals standings for the first time with 16 medals; seven gold, six silver and three bronze (7-6-3), edging out Jamaica (7-2-3) and USA (6-6-6).
Although Kenya finished second behind the USA in medal standings at the 2011 Daegu, it remains the best outing in terms of medal collection with 18; seven gold, eight silver and three bronze. It beat the tally in 2015 Beijing by two silver medals.
World Championships held in Asia has over the years been a good hunting ground for Team Kenya that is placed second in the all-time medal standings from the world championships after USA.
Before Tokyo, Kenya had a total of 171 medals; 65 gold, 58 silver and 48 bronze, behind the United States, who has accumulated 443 medals; 195 gold, 134 silver and 114 bronze.
