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Mary Moraa through to 800m semis as Sum, Cherotich exit Olympics

Mary Moraa

Kenya's Mary Moraa competes in the women’s 800m race heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on July 30, 2021.

Photo credit: Joan Pereruan | Nation Media Group

By  Elias Makori

Special Correspondent

Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Jamaica's Natoya Goule easily won Heat 2 in 1:59.83, while Benin's Noelie Yarigo and Norway's Hedda Hynne finished second and third in 2:00.11 and 2:00.76 to make the semis.
  • Uganda's World champion Halimah Nakaayi sneaked through as one of the automatic qualifiers after finishing fourth in the heat. The other Ugandan in the 800m, Winnie Nanyondo, also booked her place in the semis from Heat 1.

In Tokyo

Kenya's bid to win a second women's gold in the 800 metres at the Olympic Games is in the hands of Mary Moraa after the youngster qualified for the semi-finals on Friday.

Moraa finished third in Heat 3 won by American Raevyn Rogers in 2:01.41.

Related

Mary Moraa

Kenya's Mary Moraa (second right) competes in the women’s 800m race heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on July 30, 2021.

Photo credit: Joan Pereruan| Nation Media Group

Moraa clocked 2:01:66 to book one of the three automatic qualification places but Team Kenya camp would be concerned after she was seen grimacing in pain after the race.

The 2013 Wold 800m champion Eunice Sum finished sixth in Heat 2 to miss out on the six fastest losers slots while the other Kenyan in the 800m contest, Emily Cherotich, finished last in Heat 6.

Eunice Sum

Jamaica's Natoya Goule (centre), Uganda's Halima Nakaayi (second left) and Kenya's Eunice Jepkoech Sum (left) and Norway's Hedda Hynne compete in the women's 800m heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on July 30, 2021.

Photo credit: Giuseppe Cacace | AFP

Jamaica's Natoya Goule easily won Heat 2 in 1:59.83, while Benin's Noelie Yarigo and Norway's Hedda Hynne finished second and third in 2:00.11 and 2:00.76 to make the semis.

Uganda's World champion Halimah Nakaayi sneaked through as one of the automatic qualifiers after finishing fourth in the heat. The other Ugandan in the 800m, Winnie Nanyondo, also booked her place in the semis from Heat 1.