Mary Moraa breaks 400m record again at Kenyan trials for Budapest Worlds
Mary Moraa celebrates after winning the women's 400m race during the Kenyan trials for the World Championships at Nyayo Stadium on July 7, 2023.
What you need to know:
- National 400m champion Zablon Ekwam and Boniface Mweresa won their respective races to qualify for the men’s 400m.
- Ekwam timed 45.77, beating Kelvin Tauta to second place in 46.32 as Laban Korir romped home in third place in 47.01
- Mweresa, who is the only Kenyan man with the 400m qualification time for the Budapest World Championships, won his heat in 45.83, edging out Kennedy Kimeu and Jared Momanyi in 46.05 and 46.98 respectively.
Commonwealth Games 800 metres champion Mary Moraa has once again obliterated her 400m national record.
Moraa, the World 800m bronze medallist, led from the bell to clock 50.38 seconds and triumph during the Kenyan trials for the World Athletics Championships scheduled for August 19 to 27 in Budapest, Hungary.
Mary Moraa competes in the women's 800m race during the Kenyan trials for the World Championships at Nyayo Stadium on July 7, 2023.
Moraa broke her own record of 50.44 set when she won the Botswana Golden Grand Prix on April 29 this year.
This was the fourth time Moraa was breaking the 400m national record, having done it for the first time during the National Trials for the delayed 2021 World Athletics Championships at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on June 24 last year.
Moraa clocked 50.84 to win and would break it again when she made history as the first Kenyan woman to compete in the Diamond League in 400m, finishing fourth in 50.67 in Brussels on September 2 last year in the Belgian capital.
She then broke it again in Botswana and at the national trials on Friday.
"I am happy to have registered national record once again. I didn't see it coming, but it's a pleasant surprise " said Moraa. "If selectors want, I can do both 400m and 800m in Budapest, but that is their call."
However, Moraa said her priority remains 800m.
Moraa edged out Mercy Oketch to second place in 52.22 as Maureen Thomas timed 52.76 for third.
Meanwhile, National 400m champion Zablon Ekwam and Boniface Mweresa won their respective races to qualify for the men’s 400m.
Ekwam timed 45.77, beating Kelvin Tauta to second place in 46.32 as Laban Korir romped home in third place in 47.01.
Mweresa, who is the only Kenyan man with the 400m qualification time for the Budapest World Championships, won his heat in 45.83, edging out Kennedy Kimeu and Jared Momanyi in 46.05 and 46.98 respectively.
