Moraa anchors Kenya mixed relay team to new national record

The 400 metres record holder Mary Moraa anchored Kenya A to a national record victory and world championships qualifying position in 4x 400m mixed relay on the final day of the National Athletics Championships.

It was an explosive battle between Moraa’s team and Botswana as Kenya A led from start to finish, winning in three minutes and 14.64 seconds on Saturday at Nyayo National Stadium.

The performance saw Kenya A move to ninth place in the world ranking and road to the World Athletics Championships scheduled for August 19 to 27 in Budapest, Hungary, dislodging Slovenia.

The 16 top ranked countries in the world by July 31, 2023 will automatically qualify for the world championships and Kenya can only pray that no team dislodges them.

The show by Moraa’s team also saw them break the previous national record of 3:16:21 set at the nationals in 2021 by the team of Jared Momanyi, Collins Kipruto, former 400m national record holder Hellen Syombua and M. Moora.

It’s fast rising first leg Zablon Ekwam, who got the proceedings underway with Collen Kebinatshipi from Botswana in pursuit before handing over to Mercy Oketch on to third leg where Wycliffe Kinyamal, who is the Commonwealth Games 800m champion, took charge. 

Kinyamal then put through Moraa, the Commonwealth Games 800m champion and world 800m bronze medallist for victory, wading of the challenge from Botswana anchor Obakeng Kamberuka.
Botswana finished second in 3:16.23.

Kenya B anchored by Africa 400m bronze medallist Veronica Mutua settled third in 3:18.15 as South Sudan came in fourth in 3:48.58. 

Kenya dislodged Slovenia with 3:14.72 to 14th place while Botswana also moved to world championships qualifying position at 13th place, relegating Cuba to 14th in 13:17.33.

World Athletics required the participation of at least three foreign countries for the results to hold.
Kenya and Botswana now pray that they don’t wade out of the top 16 places so as to qualify for the world championships.

"It's such a sweet feeling this morning to place ourselves into a strong position," said Kinyamal. "I will be happy to compete for Kenya in mixed relays hoping that I qualify in 800m too."

Moraa was over the moon. "We did well spreading our strength well over the distances. We need to polish more so as to reach the final in Budapest and qualify as well for the Paris 2024 Olympics. I highly doubt if we can drop outside top 16," said Moraa.

Sprints coach Stephen Mwaniki said Kenya is now in a strong position to qualify with their superior time.

"There are few mixed relay races and we only have one month remaining," said Mwaniki.

Meanwhile, Kenya B anchored by Africa 100m record holder Ferdinand Omanyala won the 4x100m event in 38.82 to place them 21st in the "Road to Budapest." 

Kenya will now seek to qualify from elsewhere with their time of 38.26 attained at the Botswana Golden Classic on April 29 set to be cancelled after one of the athletes Samuel Imeta was flagged down for a doping offence.

The time had catapulted Kenya to 12th place in the "Road to Budapest."