Mary Moraa Reveals Tough Childhood Before Stardom As She Eyes 800m World Title

• Mary Moraa has quickly risen to the top of world athletics since she made her debut in 2017
• She ditched the shorter 400m and switched to 800m, where she has enjoyed a lot of success
• Sports Brief looks at her upbringing ahead of the World Athletics Championships next month

Mary Moraa has captured the attention of a nation widely known for producing world-beaters in middle and long-distance races.

Hers is another wonderful story of with dedication, perseverance and hard work; anything is possible.

She first burst onto the scene during the World Junior Championships in 2017 before transitioning to the senior level with statement wins.

Her most recent huge victory was when she edged out Olympic and World Silver medalist Keely Hodgkinson at the Laussane Diamond League on June 30.

She then followed it up with spectacular performances at the Athletics Kenya trials, where she lowered the national 400m record.

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The 23-year-old, born and bred in Kisii, is enjoying a splendid season, which she hopes will culminate in another podium finish at this year's World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Moraa is yet to taste defeat this season, with wins already at the Rabat Diamond League to go with her triumph in Laussane and the national trials.

Inside Moraa's tragic childhood

However, before all the stardom and the fanfare, Moraa was just another typical Kenyan struggling to make ends meet.

The deaths of her parents, when she was just two years old, did not make the situation any better, but armed with a resolve to succeed and a little bit of fate, she made it to high school.

She was sponsored through her high school education at Mogonga Mixed Secondary School by the Principal and the school's administration.

At times, she had to do menial jobs to be able to buy other necessities like school uniforms or shoes.

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"I used to look for jobs like digging farms for other people to be able to get money for upkeep," the 2022 Diamond League winner said in an interview with NTV.

Her talent for running was discovered during her primary school days. The distance from her home to her school was approximately 6 kilometres, which meant she had to run to and fro to keep time. Gradually, it became ingrained in her such that she easily won the school athletics competitions.

And so the journey began.

She came to Nairobi, Kenya's capital, for the first time for the junior trials in 2017. Despite not having running shoes, she finished second in the trials and was thus selected for the team.

2022 Commonwealth Games

Moraa's real breakthrough came in 2022, where, against all odds, she scooped third place at the Oregon World Athletics Championships, finishing behind Hodgkinson and the eventual winner Athing Mu of the United States.

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A couple of days later, she took it a notch higher by beating Hodgkinson, at her own turf, to win the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. The race is best remembered for her 'weird' tactics. She led the race from the start, then dropped off to the last position as they went through the first lap before powering her way back in the last 200 metres to stun the race favourite.

During the medal ceremony, the former world junior silver medalist broke down in tears, with flashbacks from her tough upbringing rushing through her mind.

"I took a moment to remember where I came from. I remembered the orphans we grew up with. I wished my parents were alive to see as I was being crowned the champion. I couldn't just contain myself."

She wrapped up a spectacular 2022 season by winning the Diamond League final in Zurich.

The Commonwealth Champion is among a couple of athletes coached by former 800m world champion Janeth Jepkosgei. She will be hoping to replicate Jepkosgei's 2007 achievements when she heads out to Budapest next month. But despite being in the form of her life, she is not getting ahead of herself yet.

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"As I have said before, I am looking for a podium finish in Budapest. If I say that means I will win gold, then it would be premature. I know all the other athletes I will face have similarly worked hard and will present a potent threat to me," as quoted by Capital Sports.

At only 23 years of age, you get the feeling that her career is just starting. The down-to-earth lady is aiming for the stars and with every race she takes on, she is living her wildest dreams. It never occurred to her that one day, she would be the talk of town alongside greats like Faith Kipyegon.

But here she is, rewriting history in the most magnificent way possible. It doesn't matter where you come from or where you grew up - you can be anything you want to be.

Consider yourselves warned, Mu and Hodgkinson - Moraa is coming for that world title.

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Kenya's team to Budapest

Sports Brief earlier reported on Faith Kipyegon and Ferdinand Omanyala leading Team Kenya to the World Athletics Championships after securing their spots at the two-day national trials at Nyayo National Stadium.

Double world record-holder, Kipyegon, punched her ticket in the 5,000-metre event last Friday afternoon with a dominant victory as she aims to complete a double swoop in Budapest, Hungary, next month.

She did not participate in the 1500m Kenyan trials as she already had a wild card by virtue of being the defending world champion. She will now be seeking to become a triple world champion over the distance.