•She said she had worked on all the key components of her race including her speed down the homestretch.
•While she continues to hold high her dream of shattering the world record in the two-lap race, Moraa's immediate goal is to place it on the podium.
Image: HANDOUT
Commonwealth Games 800m champion Mary Moraa has reiterated her desire to win gold at the 2023 World Athletics Championships starting August 19 in Budapest, Hungary.
Moraa, 23, expressed confidence in her form and warned her opponents to expect a fierce battle at the National Athletics Centre track in Budapest.
She said she had worked on all the key components of her race including her speed down the homestretch.
"Running the 400m race in Monaco and during the national trials gave me a perfect chance to test my finishing power and pace in the final lap of the 800m race," Moraa said.
While she continues to hold high her dream of shattering the world record in the two-lap race, Moraa's immediate goal is to place it on the podium.
"My objective at the Budapest World Championships is to win a medal, nothing else. From my performances this far I believe I can pull off something great for the country in Budapest," she remarked.
Moraa has vowed to exert tremendous energy and pound her legs hard on the track to overcome the abrasive challenge that lies ahead.
She will flex muscles with compatriots Peninah Mutisya and Vivian Chebet who also punched tickets to the World Championships.
"They are both talented and I regard them highly. I'm also alive to the fact that we shall be facing tough opponents from other nations. I'll do my best to bag the title," Moraa said.
She hopes to replicate her vintage form in the previous year when she stormed the Diamond League trophy and bagged bronze at the Oregon 22 World Championships in the 800m race.
She heads into the contest buoyed by a streak of amazing performances since the start of the season.
Moraa has been on a demolition spree since April this year when she stormed the 400m title at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix with a new personal best of 50.44.
Earlier on May 13, she flashed another masterstroke at the Kip Keino Classic at Moi Stadium, Kasarani track in Nairobi, winning the race in an impressive 1:58.83.
Moraa obliterated a rich field at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on May 28 to clinch the IAAF Diamond League meeting in 1:58.72.
She produced another tactical brilliance in Laussane on May 30 to beat world silver medalist Keely Hodkinson of Britain after clocking a season-best of 1:53.47.
She, however, snubbed the Florence and Paris Diamond League meetings to grace the national trials, where she intentionally ran in the 400m race to test her finishing prowess.
She was in sublime form at the Silesia Diamond League on July 17, barging past the finish line in a time of 1:56.85, just 0.14 seconds shy of her personal best.
However, three days later, she fizzled out to a disappointing sixth position after clocking 50.48 in the 400m at the Monaco Diamond League. The race was won by Natalia Kaczmarek of Poland who cut the tape in 49.63.