Moraa, Imali to light up AK Kisii meet
Kenya's Mary Moraa celebrates after victory in the women's 800m final during the Diamond League athletics meeting at Stadion Letzigrund stadium in Zurich on September 8, 2022.
What you need to know:
- This will not only be the first time in five years that Kisii will be hosting an AK event but also the first time a major event is being staged since the Gusii Stadium got a new tartan track
- Moraa, who is fresh from winning the 400m and 800m titles at the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO) Games in Kigali, will field in 400m and 800m races
- In 400m, Moraa will take fellow cops Africa 400m bronze medallist Veronica Mutua, Joan Cherono and Maureen Thomas, and Gladys Ngure from Kenya Prisons among others
Commonwealth Games 800metres champion Mary Moraa and Africa 200m silver medallist Maximillla Imali will grace the fifth leg of Athletics Kenya Track and Field Meeting starting on Friday at Gusii Stadium.
This will not only be the first time in five years that Kisii will be hosting an AK event but also the first time a major event is being staged since the Gusii Stadium got a new tartan track.
Gusii Stadium had not hosted any sporting activity since March 2020 when former President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the immediate closure of the facility to allow for renovations.
Moraa, who is fresh from winning the 400m and 800m titles at the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO) Games in Kigali, will field in 400m and 800m races.
Moraa is the third fastest Kenya woman in the history of 800m with a time of one minute and 56. 71 second after the 2008 Olympic Games 800m champion Pamela Jelimo (1:54.01) and 2007 World 800m champion Janeth Jepkosgei (1:56.04).
Moraa also holds the national record in 400m of 50.67 set at last year’s Diamond League in Brussels.
“It’s good to finally compete at home finally after many years. I competed last at this arena bare foot back in 2017 when I was in form three,” said Moraa, who got to put on her first spikes just before the 2017 World Under-18 Championships in Nairobi.
Moraa, who was then a form three student at Mogonga Secondary School, Kisii, went on to claim silver medal in 400m for Kenya.
“It’s quite nostalgic stepping on a tartan track here knowing that I ran bare foot when it was still a murram track,” said Moraa after her Thursday training session at Gusii Stadium.
In 400m, Moraa will take fellow cops Africa 400m bronze medallist Veronica Mutua, Joan Cherono and Maureen Thomas, and Gladys Ngure from Kenya Prisons among others.
Moraa will face a strong charge from Kenya Defence Forces that comprises Grace Gathoga, Tabitha Mongina, Maureen Chelangat and Beatrice Jemeli. Kenya Prisons will have Jane Jepkoech and Peninah Wachira in the women’s two-lap race.
Imali, who won the 200m and 100m during the second leg of AK series in February is the clear favourite in Kisii. She faces fellow policewomen and former national 100m champions Monica Safania, Eunice Kadogo and Millicent Ndoro.
From Kisii, the athletes will head to Nairobi for the last track and field meeting planned for April 28 to 29 all at the Nyayo National Stadium.
The second and sixth legs of AK meets in Nairobi are among the track and field events certified by World Athletics for ranking in the country, counting for the forthcoming World Athletics Championships on August 19 to 27 in Budapest, Hungary.
The others are the just ended national trials for the Africa Athletics Under-18 and Under-20 Championships, National Championships, National trials for the World Athletics Championships and Kip Keino Classic.
AK South Nyanza chairman Peter Angwenyi is delighted to be hosting some of the country’s top track stars.
“There has been a lot of rain recently but the stadium is in good condition owing to the new tartan track,” said Angwenyi.
