PARIS 2024: Mary Moraa wins bronze in women's 800 metres

Mary Moraa could not add an Olympic title to her World Athletics Championship win from Budapest one year after finishing third in the women's 800 metres with a time 1:57.42.

Keely Hodgkinson of Great Britain proved her pedigree as the top athlete in the event, winning gold with a time of 1:56.72 after fending off a challenge from Moraa in the final 200 metres.

The two athletes ran side by side after the bell but the Briton had more in the tank than the Kenyan, who faded in the final 60 metres allowing the Ethiopian Tsige Duguma to overtake her and take the silver medal with a time of 1:57.15.

The women's 800 metres final was billed to be a battle between Moraa and Hodgkinson, whom the Kenyan beat to win the gold medal in dramatic fashion at the Commonwealth Games in Brimingham two years.

The two athletes took charge of the race from the moment the athletes starting running in a single file after breaking from their lanes.

Moraa and Hodgkinson, who has been superb in the event this year, finished the first lap side by side, setting up what would be an interesting end to the race.

As the distance to the finish line kept reducing, Moraa made an attempt to surge forward but Hodgkinson seemed unfazed, maintaining her poise and not allowing Moraa to get ahead of her before increasing her pace in the final 200 metres.

Moraa could not match match the Briton's strides and the effort to keep up with evidently strained as she laboured to maintain a pace good enough to win the silver medal.

Unfortunately, Moraa could not hold for second place as the Ethiopian Duguma overtook to win the silver medal.