Mary Moraa

Mary Moraa (born 15 June 2000) is a Kenyan athlete who specialises in the 800 metres. She won the gold medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, a bronze medal in the event at the 2022 World Athletics Championships and a gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Moraa is the Kenyan record holder for the 400 metres. She was the 2022 Diamond League 800 m champion. She also holds the world best in the 600 metres.

Background Moraa was orphaned at age 2 after the death of her father and then her mother. She grew up with her grandparents, in Kisii in western Kenya. She won an education bursary through running.

Career Moraa specialized in the 400 metres distance until 2021. She made her international debut at the World Under-18 Championships in Nairobi and won the silver medal in the event with a personal best time of 53.31 seconds.

Moraa transitioned to the 800 metres in 2020, and represented Kenya at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics in 2021 competing in the event, where she was eliminated in the semi-finals with a time of 2:00.47.

In July 2022, Moraa won the bronze medal in the 800 m at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, clocking a personal best of 1:56.71 behind Athing Mu (1:56.30) and Keely Hodgkinson (1:56.38). The following month, she won a gold in the event at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games after storming through to beat Hodgkinson in the final. She went from first to last and back to first in that race. In September, Moraa became the Diamond League 800 m champion after she won final in Zürich.

Personal life She is the cousin of Kenyan runner Sarah Moraa. Mary Moraa has described her as her "kid sister" on social media.

Achievements Personal bests 400 metres – 50.38 (Nairobi 2023) 800 metres – 1:56.03 (Budapest 2023) 800 metres indoor – 2:00.61 (Liévin 2023)

International competitions

Circuit performances

Wins and titles

800 metres wins, other events specified in parentheses 2022: Stockholm Bauhaus-galan, Zürich Weltklasse 2023: Rabat Meeting International

National titles Kenyan Athletics Championships 400 metres: 2019