Record-breaking Moraa has eyes on bigger things
From left: Netherlands' Lieke Klaver, Belgium's Cynthia Bolingo Mbongo, Barbados' Sada Williams, Kenya's Mary Moraa and Dominican Republic's Fiordaliza Cofil compete in the women's 400m event during the IAAF Diamond League "Memorial Van Damme" athletics meeting at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on September 2, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Athletes gear up for Diamond League season finale in Zurich
- Commonwealth Games 800m champ breaks Kenya’s 400m record in Brussels
Commonwealth Games 800 metres champion Mary Moraa has once again shattered the national women’s 400m record as Jackline Chepkoech and Jacob Krop recorded personal best times at Brussels Diamond League on Friday in Belgium.
Moraa, the World 800m bronze medallist, clocked 50.67 seconds to finish fourth in 400m as she improved on her own national record by 0.17 seconds.
Moraa was using the race for speed work as she prepares for the 800m final of the Diamond League this coming weekend in Zurich, Switzerland.
"It feels nice to break my own record for the first time in two months. My finishing speed looks good but there is more to polish as I look forward to a great final in Zurich," said Moraa.
Moraa set the new national record when she won the 400m during the national trials for the World Athletics Championships and Birmingham Commonwealth Games on June 25 this year at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
In Brussels on Friday, Fiordaliza Cofil from the Dominican Republic won the women’s 400m race in a personal best time of 49.80 sec, beating Sada Williams from Barbados and Belgian Cynthia Bolingo to second and third places in 50.15sec and 50.29sec respectively.
Chepkoech, the Commonwealth Games 3,000m steeplechase champion, cracked a personal best of 9:02.43 to win in the race, stunning Kenya-born Wilfred Yavi to second place in 9:03.44.
Werkuha Getachew from Ethiopia settled for third place in 9:08.03.
The newly-crowned World Athletics Championships Under-20 3,000m steeplechase champion Faith Cherotich from Kenya came in third in a personal best time of 9:09.63.
“It was a hard race but it went on well. I am happy with the results and the receptive Belgian crowd,” said Chepkoech, the 2021 World Athletics Championships Under-20 3,000m steeplechase champion.
The 2019 World 3,000m steeplechase champion and world record holder, Beatrice Chepkoech finished a distant 11th in 9:24.73.
She was competing for the first time since Doha in May.
Jacob Krop, the World 5,000m silver medallist, returned a world lead and personal best time of 12:55.71 to win the 5,000m race.
Krop, the Commonwealth Games 5,000m bronze medallist beat Grant Fisher to second place. The American ran a national and personal best time of 12:46.96.
The race saw nine of the top 10 finishers return either personal bests or national and respective area records.
Commonwealth Games 5,000m silver medallist Nicholas Kimeli is the only one who didn't return a personal best time, clocking 12:50.97 to finish third place.
