by Larry Eder
This is Witness the Wonder, the Preview to the 2023 World Champs in Budapest for Day 30, May 17, 2023.
For the next 15 days, RunBlogRun will be posting a story a day on the buildup to the World Athletics Outdoor Championships, to be held in Budapest, Hungary, from August 19-August 27, 2023.
Tonight, we will be telling the story of Mary Moraa.
Mary Moraa is one of the truly new stars in global track and field. her exciting style of racing, her 400 meter speed and her exciting performances over 800 meters make her a double threat (800m/4x400m relay) for her country.
2017 Mary took the silver medal in the 400 meters in the World Under 18 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya. Her time, of 53.31. Her 400 meters at the World Under 20 in Tampere, Finland, in 52.94. In 2019, Mary moved up to the senior African Champs, she took fifth in the 400 meters in 51.97.
Mary’s racing style at the 800 meters is what makes her unique. She will go out hard, drop back and fight all the way back up front. In the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, in July 2022, she took the bronze medal behind Athing Mu and Keely Hodgkinson, with a fine of 1:56.71, her PB.
After her bronze medal in Eugene, the media caught up with her in the Mixed Zone, and this is how she positioned her medal:
"I am so happy to perform like this today and of course, to win a medal. This is a very special achievement for me and my village. The race was tough but I tried to push myself to finish like this. I gained my limits like 200m to go and I saw the girls in front of me. But then I decided to close the gap and to move forward. Like 100m to go, they tried to push hard but I also did it. I pushed myself until the finish to take bronze and I am so happy about it. The last sprint was very tough - last 70m, I saw I cannot get enough speed to get furter, just focusing the front runners."
Just a few weeks later, Mary Moraa upset Keely Hodgkinson in the 800 meters in 1:57.07 in front of a robust crowd in Birmingham. It was the way she won that totally flummoxed her competition. Mary rushed to the front, fell back, and out of contention at 500m to go, then rushed back to the front to take the gold from Keely Hodgkinson.
2023 Mary has already run a fine 400 meters in the Botswana Golden Grand Prix on April 29, 2023, in 50.44. Mary followed that up with a nice win at 800 meters in the Kip Keino Classic, on May 13, 2023, in front of sixty thousand cheering Kenyans.
Mary Moraa’s masterful running is one thing, but her unpredictable racing style makes her a challenge to plan for, making her dangerous. How will she fare in Budapest?
It is difficult to say, as many of her competitors know that she will compete in an unexpected way. Mary Moraa can run from the front, and from the back and has a blinding kick.
Watch her in Budapest; she will be ferocious!
To read all of our earlier stories in Witness the Wonder, numbers 1-29:
1. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 1; Welcome to the World Champs! https://runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-1-welcome-to-the-world-champs.html
2. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 2, Meeting the Stars of Hungarian Athletics! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-2-meeting-the-stars-of-hungarian-athletics.html\
3. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 3, Why you should go to Budapest! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-3.html
4. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 4, Mondo Duplantis & Nafi Thiam are Europe’s finest; how will they do in Budapest? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-3-mondo-duplantis-nafi-thiam-are-europes-finest-how-will-they-do-in-budapest.html
5. Witness the Wonder, World Championships Budapest 2023, Day 5, Just What Will Faith Kipyegon Do in Budapest? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-championships-budapest-2023-day-5-just-what-will-faith-kipyegon-do-in-budapest.html
6. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 6, Mutaz Essa Barshim. Will he take a 4th straight title in Budapest? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-mutaz-essa-barshim-will-he-take-a-4th-straight-title-in-budapest.html
7. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Outdoor Champs Budapest 2023, Day 7; Noah Lyles wants to burn up the track in Budapest in August! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-outdoor-champs-budapest-2023-noah-lyles-wants-to-burn-up-the-track-in-budapest-in-august.html
8. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 8, all About the National Athletics Center https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-8-all-about-the-national-athletics-center.html
9. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 9: Meet Anita Marton, Hungarian star shot putter with deadly last-round throws! What will she do in Budapest? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-9-meet-anita-marton-hungarian-star-shot-putter-who-has-deadly-last-round-throws-what-will-she-do-in-budapest.html
10. Witness the Wonder, 2023 World Athletics Outdoor Championships, Day 10: Karsten Warhold is back; what will he do in Budapest over the 400-meter hurdles? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-2023-world-athletics-outdoor-championships-day-10-karsten-warhold-is-back-what-will-he-do-in-budapest-over-the-400-meter-hurdles.html
11. Witness the Wonder World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 11; Wayde Van Niekerk is coming to Budapest! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-11-wayde-van-niekerk-wr-holder-olympic-champions-two-time-world-champion-at-400-meters-has-returned-and-he-wants-to-run-a-sizz.html
12. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 12, Neeraj Chopra, India’s Javelin star, will he move up to gold in Budapest? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-neeraj-chopra-indias-javelin-star-will-he-move-up-to-gold-in-budapest.html,
13. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 13: Ryan Crouser overcomes a rainy day at the Drake Relays! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-13-ryan-crouser-overcomes-a-rainy-day-at-the-drake-relays.html
14. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Outdoor Championships, Budapest, Day 14: Five Reasons to Go to the World Championships in Budapest! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-outdoor-championships-budapest-day-14-five-reasons-to-go-to-the-world-championships-in-budapest.html
15. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 15, Old and New Stars in Hammer could shine the first weekend of World Champs for Hungary! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-old-and-new-stars-in-hammer-could-shine-first-weekend-of-world-champs-for-hungary.html
16. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Championships, Budapest 2023, Day 16: Five Ways to Better Enjoy the Budapest World Champs! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-15-five-ways-to-better-enjoy-the-budapest-world-champs.html
17. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 17; Ferdinand Omanyala wants to be on the 100m medal podium this summer! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-17-ferdinand-omanyala-wants-to-be-on-the-100m-medal-podium-this-summer.html
18. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 18: What will Sifan Hassan do in Budapest? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-18-what-will-sifan-hassan-do-in-budapest.html
19. Witness the Wonder World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 19; Tomas Walsh is from New Zealand, and you better watch him in the Men’s Shot Put final in Budapest! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-19-tomas-walsh-is-from-new-zealand-and-you-better-watch-him-in-the-mens-shot-put-final-in-budapest.html
20. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 20; Grant Holloway wants to Three-Peat in Budapest! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-20-grant-holloway-wants-to-three-peat-in-budapest.html
21. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Budapest 2023, Day 21, Five Big Stories for the World Champs in Budapest! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-budapest-2023-day-21-five-big-stories-for-the-world-champs-in-budapest.html
22. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Budapest 2023, Day 22, Six Stories on Hungarian Athletes and their Dreams for Budapest 2023! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-budapest-2023-day-22-six-stories-on-hungarian-athletes-and-their-dreams-for-budapest-2023.html
23. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Championships, Budapest 2023, Day 23: Femke Bol What Will She do in Budapest? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-23-femke-bol-what-will-she-do-in-budapest.html
24. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Budapest 2023, Day 24, What Plans Does Joshua Cheptegai Have for Budapest? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-budapest-2023-day-24-what-plans-does-joshua-cheptegai-have-for-budapest.html
25. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Budapest 2023, Day 25, LiJao Gong will again battle for the gold, this time in Budapest! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-budapest-2023-day-25-lijao-gong-will-battle-for-the-gold-once-again-this-time-in-budapest.html
26. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 26, Sha’Carri Richardson is running towards Budapest! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-26-shacarri-richardson-is-running-towards-budapest.html
27. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 27, What you need to know about Budapest! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-27-what-you-need-to-know-about-budapest.html
28. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 28: Budapest, where everything is within easy reach! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-28-budapest-where-everything-is-within-easy-reach.html
29. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 29: Dina Asher-Smith focuses on Budapest https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-29-dina-asher-smith-focuses-on-budapest.html
The World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, will be held August 19-27, 2023, and tickets are available now! Click here to learn more about ticket sales: https://tickets.wabudapest23.com/
RunBlogRun suggests a wonderful book on Hungary, The Hungarians, A Thousand Years of Victory in Defeat, by Paul Lendvai, Translated by Ann Major, Princeton University Press, www.pupress.princeton.edu.
Need tips for Visiting Budapest and the rest of Hungary? Please go here! Visit Hungary-Wellspring of Wonders! https://visithungary.com/
