800m champion Mary Moraa has withdrawn from the Florence and Paris Diamond League meetings.
The Kenya Police athlete was scheduled to compete in 400m in Florence on 2 June and back to the two-lap race seven days later in France but her coach Alex Sang says she is taking a break.
Mary Moraa was pleased with Rabat Diamond League victory.The world bronze medalist this season has competed in the local Athletics, represented her employer at the East Africa Police Games, lined up for 400m at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix and successfully captured the titles in season best times at the Kip Keino Classic and the Rabat Diamond League.
“Competing in two World Athletics Continental Tour gold meetings and in one Diamond League is enough for the moment.
We are making a tactical retreat with the only races on the card being the police meet before heading to Laussane late next month,” Sang told Nation.
Moraa, a 1:56.71 runner says she is targeting the world title in Budapest this year, having already bagged the Club Games’ title and the Diamond League trophy last year.
At the world championships in Oregon 2022, Moraa put up a fight, trailing eventual winner, Olympic Champion Athing Mu and silver medalist Keely Hodgkinson after the bell, to defeat Diribe Welteji and make the podium.
The two women who are likely to offer the toughest competition for Moraa in Budapest are yet to open their outdoor season with Mu having been out of action since winning the world title.
In her interview with Nation, Moraa says breaking the national record which also doubles as the African record of 1:54.01 held by Pamela Jelimo since August 2008 is in her plans.
“I am in talks with my coach for this. He is really pushing me and that is good for me as this is a dream for me and I am in good form and healthy to go for it,” she said.
