Mary Moraa sets new PB after cruising to 400m victory in Botswana Golden Grand Prix

She might have dropped down to the 400m, but Kenya’s Mary Moraa, who has curved a name for herself in the 800m race, found no problems in the one lap event as she comfortably cruised to victory in the Botswana Continental Gold Tour meeting held in Gaborone on Saturday afternoon.

In a field that contained Jamaica’s Olympic and world finalist Candice McLeod, USA’s Kyra Jefferson, and the Botswana duo of Naledi Lopang and Thompang Basele, the two-lap specialist showed her pace as she set a new personal best after clocking 50.44s to win the race ahead of South Africa’s Miranda Coetzee and McLeod who crossed the line in 51.13s and 51.17s respectively.

Characteristic of her, Moraa, who is the national 400m champion, started off the race slowly before coming alive in the homestretch where she showed her pedigree as she came from behind to win the race in a new personal best.

Moraa, who claimed Commonwealth and Diamond League 800m crowns to go with her world bronze in 2022, opened 2023 by taking on a debut indoor season and she picked up from where she left off outdoors – finishing fast to win by more than half a second ahead of Coetzee and McLeod.

The performance, which was also a new national record, bodes well for Moraa during a season in which she aims to build on that world bronze in Budapest. Her previous 400m best was 50.67, achieved at the Diamond League meeting in Brussels in September.

In the men's 400m hurdles, Kenya's Wiseman Were settled for a third place finish after clocking 49.28. USA's Trevor Bassitt led the way and won the race in a dominant 48.42 ahead of Tunisia's Mohamad Amine Touati who took second place in 48.57s.

Elsewhere, Abel Kipsang also came from behind to claim top honours in the men’s 800m highly contested race.

Omanyala dips below 10 seconds to win Botswana Golden Grand Prix in world lead time