Kenya’s Mary Moraa, the reigning World champion and Olympic bronze medalist at 800m, has signed on to join Grand Slam Track as a Racer in the 800m/1500m category in the professional track league’s inaugural season.

Here’s What You Need To Know:

– Moraa is the third Racer signed to the “short distance” group that will contest the 800m and 1500m at the four Slams in Kingston, Miami, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. The league previously announced its signing of 1500m U.S. Olympic Trials champion, World Indoor silver medalist and Olympic finalist Nikki Hiltz and Olympic silver medalist Jessica Hull of Australia.

– Moraa is coming off a season in which she secured a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics in the 800m with a time of 1:57.42. In September, she also broke the 600m world record at the ISTAF meet in Berlin by clocking a 1:21.63, to shave 0.14 seconds off Caster Semenya's record from 2016.

– Moraa won four Diamond League series meets including the Diamond League final, where she ran her season’s best of 1:56.56.

– Moraa is the third Kenyan athlete signed to the league after Ronald Kwemoi (long distance – 3000m/5000m) and Agnes Ngetich (long distance – 3000m/5000m)

What She Had To Say:

"I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to join Grand Slam Track. This is a big step for me, and I’m determined to work hard and give my absolute best in every race. Competing in all four Slam events will push me to be better and to keep growing as an athlete. I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead and know this is a chance to truly elevate my career, and represent Kenya on the global stage."

Trying Something New

– According to World Athletics and other statistical databases, Moraa has never run a 1500m race. Her longest PB is a 2:33.43 for 1000m when she finished third to Kenya’s Nelly Chepchirchir and Jemma Reekie at the Silesia Diamond League.

– Moraa has never gone head-to-head with Hiltz or Hull.

– One Racer spot remains in the short distance category. 800m Olympic gold medalist Keely Hodgkinson and 1500m Olympic gold medalist Faith Kipyegon have not committed to the league but could still race as Challengers on a Slam-by-Slam basis, if they are not contracted for all four meets. Other possible candidates with 800m and 1500m versatility who could sign with the league include 1500m Olympic bronze medalist Georgia Bell, 2021 Olympic gold medalist Athing Mu, Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji or Tsige Duguma or U.S. Olympians Emily Mackay and Elle St. Pierre. We previously outlined the case for each.

Who Else Has Signed With Grand Slam Track So Far:

– Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (June 18th)

– Josh Kerr (June 27th)

– Cole Hocker and Yared Nuguse (Sept. 4th)

– Fred Kerley and Kenny Bednarek (Sept. 12th)

– Melissa Jefferson (Sept. 19th)

– Masai Russell, Cyrena Samba Mayela and Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (Sept. 25th)

– Alison Dos Santos and Clément Ducos (Sept. 26th)

– Muzala Samukonga (Sept. 26th)

– Quincy Hall and Matthew Hudson-Smith (Oct. 10th)

– Nikki Hiltz (Oct. 15th)

– Grant Fisher and Ronald Kwemoi (Oct. 15th)

– Roshawn Clarke and Ackera Nugent (Oct. 17th)

– Luis Grijalva (Oct. 22nd)

– Shamier Little, Jasmine Jones and Rushell Clayton (Oct. 22nd)

– Jessica Hull (Oct. 22nd)

– Devon Allen and Daniel Roberts (Oct. 22nd)

– Marileidy Paulino (Oct. 22nd)

– Jereem Richards (Oct. 22nd)

– Marco Arop (Oct. 22nd)

– Tsigie Gebreselama and Agnes Ngetich (Oct. 22nd)

– Daryll Neita (Nov. 21st)

– Elise Cranny and Nozomi Tanaka (Nov. 21st)

– Salwa Eid Naser (Nov. 21st)

___________________

Keep up with all things track and field by following us across Instagram, X, Bluesky, Threads, and YouTube. Catch the latest episodes of the CITIUS MAG Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. For more, subscribe to The Lap Count and CITIUS MAG Newsletter for the top running news delivered straight to your inbox.