2022 World Athletics Championship bronze medalist Mary Moraa has revealed that Kenya has a long way to go to reclaim its past glory due to the lack of teamwork among the nation’s representatives.
Moraa, who was the only Kenyan representative in the 800m final held on Monday July 25 (EAT) at Hayward field, Oregon produced a brilliant display to win her first senior World Championships medal.
The National Police Service runner clocked a personal best time of 1:56.71 to finish behind 2020 Olympic champion Athing Mu and Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson. Mu, who was representing the hosts, won the race in a world leading time of 1:56.30 while Hodgkinson finished in 1:56.38.
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Speaking after the race, Moraa disclosed that most Kenyan athletes no longer run as one team.
“When we train hard and work as a team, we will close the gap and bring the medal back to Kenya, but the way things are now, we have a long way to go because we don’t work as a team, everyone is for herself,”
“If you look at Ethiopians, they run as a team, not like Kenyans. For example I was alone in the final as a Kenyan, so I had to give my all, because there was no one to team up with or sacrifice one to make sure one wins a medal,” Moraa told Capitalfm.co.ke.
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The 2017 World Under 18 4 x 400m mixed relay gold medalist also thanked former Kenyan internationals including Pamela Jelimo and Janeth Jepkosgei for the crucial role they have played in her career so far.
“I am happy with my performance because I was competing alone as Team Kenya. It was a tough race, the competition was hard. I did a lot of training this season. I thank my coach and my predecessors Janeth Jepkosgei, Pamela Jelimo and Eunice Sum for the advice,” stated Moraa.
According to Moraa, the lack of a physio also played a role in Team Kenya’s poor performance.
“The coach has really helped me in changing my running tactics, he told me to control my body until I get to the final. We did not have a physio for Kenya, that too contributed to our dismal performance, like for me after every race I had to dip myself into the ice but that is not as good as a massage,” added the athlete who dedicated her medal to all the Orphans in her village.
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