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Mary Moraa kept her composure to win the 800m final race at the World Athletics Championship in Budapest, Hungary, on Sunday, August 27, 2023.

This is the third gold for Kenya after Faith Kipyegon won two after her impressive performances in the 1500m and 5000m.

Meanwhile, Moraa had to beat rivals that included Keely Hodgkinson, Athing Mu, who is the defending champion, Habitam Alemu, and Halimah Nakaayi to emerge as the winner in 1:56.03.

Mu (1:56.61) and Hodgkinson (1:56.04) were the key threats to Moraa, but the national 400m record holder and the 2022 Diamond League 800m champion weathered the storm to claim the gold medal in a spectacular manner.

Krop’s bronze

Meanwhile, Kenya’s bid to claim the gold medal in the 5000m race failed after Jacob Krop finished in third to win bronze on Sunday, August 27, 2023.

Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen won gold in 13:11.30, as Mohammed Katir of Spain finished second in a tightly contested race. Kenya’s other representative in the race, Ishmael Kipkurui, finished in 10th.

Despite facing strong competition, Ingebrigtsen, the defending champion, managed to retain the title. After failing to claim gold in the 1500m, his triumph in the 5000m should be much appreciated by the European champion.

Kipkurui was leading after 900m but his pace faded as Ingebrigtsen and the other rivals closed in on him and finally overtook the world junior cross-country champion.

The Ethiopian unit of Berihu Aregawi and Hagos Gebrhiwet kept fighting hard and, after 2200 m, managed to close the gap with the leading pack.

After 2800m, Gebrhiwet was leading as Aregawi trailed some distance behind. At this point, Krop was in seventh place, but after the 4000m mark, he was third, and Ingebrigtsen was in fifth. Kipkirui was struggling and was in a distant 10th position.

Approaching the final curve, Katir was leading, but Ingebrigtsen accelerated, overtaking the Spaniard to successfully defend his title in 13:11.30, which was his season’s best.