Kenya’s Lilian Odira produced one of the biggest shocks of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, storming to victory in the women’s 800m with a championship record performance, Afrosport reports.
The 26-year-old, who arrived in Tokyo as an outsider rather than a pre-race favourite, unleashed a devastating late surge to overhaul Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson, clocking 1:54.62.
Odira’s time not only carved nearly two seconds off her personal best, but also eclipsed the long-standing championship record of 1:54.68 set by Czechoslovakia’s Jarmila Kratochvilova in 1983.
Following closely behind in second was Britain’s Hunter Bell in 1:54.90, while Hodgkinson (1:54.91), who had dispatched the Kenyan when they met at the Wanda Diamond League in Silesia in July, came third.
Odira’s triumph secured Kenya’s seventh gold medal of the Championships, further underlining the East African nation’s dominance in Tokyo. Remarkably, Kenyan women have swept every track distance from 800m upwards: Faith Kipyegon (1500m), Beatrice Chebet (5000m and 10,000m), Faith Cherotich (3000m steeplechase), and Peres Jepchirchir (marathon) all striking gold alongside Odira.
“This is my first World Championships and I am really grateful to be leaving it as the world champion,” she said. “It has been a long time coming.”
“I didn’t have any expectations; I was just following the pace of the race. I managed to have the most powerful finish and I got lucky to be going home with a gold medal. This medal means the world to me. It is for my sons, they are four and two. They are my motivation.”
The race itself was historic. For the first time, three women broke 1:55 in a single race, while five athletes dipped under 1:56. Sarah Moraa (1:55.74) and Sage Hurta-Klecker (1:55.89) both set personal bests, times which in most championships would have been enough for a medal.
