That was crazy. I hope someone interviews her and finds out if it was planned. Maybe she knows she can torch the field, rest, and then do it again.
The BBC did interview her and she said it was not deliberate. She was surprised the whole field passed her but started to feel good again with 200 to go. Scary talent if she gets some good coaching and figures out tactics.
It's a mystery why she runs the way she does. She also jogged during the 400m heats at these Games, to the chagrin of many.
There appears to be some weird rule in place that prevent athletes from scratching. If your name's on the list you have to start, and seemingly you have to finish. If you don't, you're not allowed to compete in later events.
That was a great race. I've never seen someone lead the first lap, drop back to last and follow that up with a stretch run to win. Moraa ran a very good race as did Keely.
Nah she'll be fighting for Silver with Keely. Athing will continue to pigeonize both of them for many years to come.
She essentially started racing the 800m last year and already has a 1:56 PB and global medals
She is also the fastest closer in the field today
Plus, her tactics are absolutely terrible. Not saying she will 100% challenge Athing, but anything is possible if her racing strategy improves with more experience.
Can't forget Welteji. This is truly a really exciting time for the women's 800 meters, bring on Budapest and Paris!
Well, I don't know what to make of that! Mary ran the first 200m faster than advisable, and then drops back, and then runs the final 200m far, far faster than Keely. I can't make sense of it. Remember, I'm pretty certain that Keely ran the fastest last 200m in Eugene. Very strange.
Moraa actually ran the fastest last 200m in Eugene too.
LRC Note: Rojo started his own thread on the race entitled, "That was the CRAZIEST & DUMBEST 800 tactics I've ever seen from a competitor who won an elite 800. Mary Moraa FTW!!" He has merged it with Weldon's thread as he didn't want people to think he was disrespecting Moraa and we only need 1 thread on it.
Heart of gold.Congrats. What a talent. If she gets proper coaching, watch out.
I can't believe it.
She went out like like 25-26, then probably ran like 31 and wen back to nearly last at 500, then came storming bacn and won it. I'm going to watch it again and type up splits.
At 600, I was like, "What an idiot."
I still think it was the worse tactics ever but she is the winner.
Wow. What a talent.
OK. I've rewatched the race and here are her HT splits.
She lead 300, was dead last at 500 and was the winner at 800!!
13.15 12.8 (25.95 for 200 and a big lead that's HT so add .24) 30.76 (she had already given up the lead) 16.65 (dead last at 500) 14.8 28.66
Adds up perfectly to 157.82 ass an HT is supposed to be off by .24. Add 0.24 to 1st 100.
So she went out super hard - 26.2. Then takes a break and runs 47.41 for 300 and then closes it out in 43.46.
I have a hard time believing this (the legitimacy of Moraa).
To run that the way she did she is in 1.53 high/ 1.54 flat shape - the amount of extra energy she used and the strength needed to overcome the entire field in lane 2 in the final 200m? No, just no. That was a performance I would expect to see from a very good high school sophomore male.
The first name that sprung to mind watching this was Pamela Jelimo. I don't what the consensus is, with the continuing known issues in East Africa with respect to performance enhancing drugs, this is one I am just not buying.
Well, I don't know what to make of that! Mary ran the first 200m faster than advisable, and then drops back, and then runs the final 200m far, far faster than Keely. I can't make sense of it. Remember, I'm pretty certain that Keely ran the fastest last 200m in Eugene. Very strange.
Moraa actually ran the fastest last 200m in Eugene too.
I've just looked at the Eugene race and Keely definitely ran the fastest final 200m but I think Keely's mistake was running such a fast first lap.However, if she either gets faster or stronger or both. Next year, should be a very telling year.
LRC Note: Rojo started his own thread on the race entitled, "That was the CRAZIEST & DUMBEST 800 tactics I've ever seen from a competitor who won an elite 800. Mary Moraa FTW!!" He has merged it with Weldon's thread as he didn't want people to think he was disrespecting Moraa and we only need 1 thread on it.
Heart of gold.Congrats. What a talent. If she gets proper coaching, watch out.
I can't believe it.
She went out like like 25-26, then probably ran like 31 and wen back to nearly last at 500, then came storming bacn and won it. I'm going to watch it again and type up splits.
At 600, I was like, "What an idiot."
I still think it was the worse tactics ever but she is the winner.
Wow. What a talent.
OK. I've rewatched the race and here are her HT splits.
She lead 300, was dead last at 500 and was the winner at 800!!
13.15 12.8 (25.95 for 200 and a big lead that's HT so add .24) 30.76 (she had already given up the lead) 16.65 (dead last at 500) 14.8 28.66
Adds up perfectly to 157.82 ass an HT is supposed to be off by .24. Add 0.24 to 1st 100.
So she went out super hard - 26.2. Then takes a break and runs 47.41 for 300 and then closes it out in 43.46.
I have a hard time believing this (the legitimacy of Moraa).
To run that the way she did she is in 1.53 high/ 1.54 flat shape - the amount of extra energy she used and the strength needed to overcome the entire field in lane 2 in the final 200m? No, just no. That was a performance I would expect to see from a very good high school sophomore male.
The first name that sprung to mind watching this was Pamela Jelimo. I don't what the consensus is, with the continuing known issues in East Africa with respect to performance enhancing drugs, this is one I am just not buying.
Pamela Jelimo is a biological male. Moraa is female.
Having said that, I am also very surprised as to how a female can go from way in front, to dead last, to lane 2 around at turn, to first place.
LRC Note: Rojo started his own thread on the race entitled, "That was the CRAZIEST & DUMBEST 800 tactics I've ever seen from a competitor who won an elite 800. Mary Moraa FTW!!" He has merged it with Weldon's thread as he didn't want people to think he was disrespecting Moraa and we only need 1 thread on it.
Heart of gold.Congrats. What a talent. If she gets proper coaching, watch out.
I can't believe it.
She went out like like 25-26, then probably ran like 31 and wen back to nearly last at 500, then came storming bacn and won it. I'm going to watch it again and type up splits.
At 600, I was like, "What an idiot."
I still think it was the worse tactics ever but she is the winner.
Wow. What a talent.
OK. I've rewatched the race and here are her HT splits.
She lead 300, was dead last at 500 and was the winner at 800!!
13.15 12.8 (25.95 for 200 and a big lead that's HT so add .24) 30.76 (she had already given up the lead) 16.65 (dead last at 500) 14.8 28.66
Adds up perfectly to 157.82 ass an HT is supposed to be off by .24. Add 0.24 to 1st 100.
So she went out super hard - 26.2. Then takes a break and runs 47.41 for 300 and then closes it out in 43.46.
I have a hard time believing this (the legitimacy of Moraa).
To run that the way she did she is in 1.53 high/ 1.54 flat shape - the amount of extra energy she used and the strength needed to overcome the entire field in lane 2 in the final 200m? No, just no. That was a performance I would expect to see from a very good high school sophomore male.
The first name that sprung to mind watching this was Pamela Jelimo. I don't what the consensus is, with the continuing known issues in East Africa with respect to performance enhancing drugs, this is one I am just not buying.
You needed to stop early in this post. You were mostly correct until you kept typing. I stated in so many worlds that Mary M. is a 1:54.xx 800m talent. I stated on page one of this thread that I want to see Mary M. race 14.3 100m splits. That's 1:54.xx. You sometimes don't know when to quit when you are ahead.