Despite exceeding her own expectations, Mary Moraa plans to cut short her celebrations as she begins her preparations for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

It’s fair to say she has surprised many including herself, given that this has only been her second full season as a two-lap athlete.

“I have an even bigger task next year where I will be going for gold in Budapest. I know hitting form the right time is something amazing, I can only hope for similar if not better next year,” she told People Sport.

So when she blazed past World silver medalist and home girl Keeley Hodgkinson at the final 50m mark to storm into the Commonwealth Games title in Birmingham on Saturday night, Moraa knows a lot will be expected of her.

“I came here with one goal, to win gold, and thankfully I have it. I don’t intend to stop I will keep gliding until I get to the pinnacle,” said Moraa.

Having finished third to Olympic champion American Athing Mu and Hodgkinson at the World championships in Eugene, Oregon last month, Moraa wants to keep encouraging other athletes to follow suite.

“I still want to dedicate my gold to the orphans from my village (Obwari in Nyamira). You know I don’t have my parents since 2002. So to all the orphans, less privileged and all those kids undergoing challenges out there, this victory is equally yours,” she shared with People Sport.

The 22-year-old who burst onto the scene with 400m silver at the defunct World Athletics U18 Championships at Kasarani in 2017 ran a strange race, leading at the bell before dropping all the way back, but put in a superb fight, plucking off the entire field at the home stretch to win in 1:57.07.

Moraa went straight into the lead in the opening lap, but had to use the outer lane to win a sprint finish at the end.