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Mary Moraa clocked 1:57.83 to finish second in the 800m race at the Stockholm Diamond League 2025.
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She faded in the final metres, allowing Georgia Hunter Bell of Great Britain to overtake her.
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This was Moraa’s first Diamond League appearance of the 2025 season.
Mary Moraa’s 25th birthday didn’t go quite as planned on Sunday night in Stockholm. The reigning World Champion and two-time Diamond League titleholder was denied a celebratory win by Georgia Bell, who produced an electric comeback to snatch victory in the women’s 800m final in a season-best 1:57.66.
The British runner timed her charge to perfection, coming from sixth with 300 metres to go, outkicking the field to spoil the party for Moraa. The Kenyan superstar had looked set for victory after leading for much of the race but had to settle for second in 1:57.83, while South Africa’s World Indoor Champion Prudence Sekgodiso followed closely in third at 1:58.00.
It was a dramatic finish to a race that had promised fireworks from the start—and it delivered. Moraa, known for her aggressive front-running style, didn’t waste time asserting her dominance. From the gun, she surged to the front and tucked in just behind the pacemaker. As expected, she dictated the rhythm with her usual confidence, commanding the field through the first lap.
The bell rang with Moraa still leading, closely tracked by Sekgodiso and Switzerland’s Audrey Werro. The tempo was fast, and Moraa seemed to be holding steady, despite having raced heavily on the Grand Slam Track in recent weeks. But lurking in the shadows was Georgia Bell, biding her time and staying clear of the early surge.
With 300 metres to go, Bell began her move—at first subtle, then increasingly assertive. As the runners entered the final bend, she had climbed from sixth into striking distance, and by the time the home straight opened up, the chase was on.
The Stockholm crowd, sensing something special, roared as Bell surged forward. Moraa, digging deep, responded with everything she had left in her legs. But Bell’s finish was relentless, and she crossed the line just ahead—1:57.66 to 1:57.83.
A double podium finish for African athletes
Mary Moraa and Prudence Sekgodiso finish second and third in the Women’s 800m at the #StockholmDL pic.twitter.com/pYpNqLOQlI
— SuperSport (@SuperSportTV) June 15, 2025
Speaking after the race, Moraa admitted the fast early pace may have cost her in the end. “I was very happy with a season’s best of 1:57,” she said. “I had some tiredness in my legs from the national championships and the Grand Slam, so I did not know what to expect. I could hear the crowd in the last 100 metres, so I sensed someone was coming up behind me. I was running as fast as I could, so was unable to hold onto first place—but that is how competition goes.”
For Bell, this marked a statement win in her first Diamond League appearance of the season. Not only did she deliver a season-best time, but she did it against a world-class field and on a night when all eyes were on the birthday girl.
The race itself was a showcase of top-tier talent. Sekgodiso, who had won the World Indoor Championships earlier this year, pushed hard and ran a composed race to finish third in 1:58.00—a strong season opener for the South African.
Behind them, Werro faded slightly in the final stretch, finishing outside the podium, while others in the field clocked respectable times but never seriously threatened the lead pack.
For Moraa, the loss isn’t likely to shake her confidence too much. She remains one of the top 800m runners in the world and has already proven her ability to bounce back. Still, the result is a reminder that competition at this level is fierce, and even the best can be caught.
The Stockholm result shakes up the early standings in the women’s 800m Diamond League series, with Bell now emerging as a serious contender for the title. It also sets up a tantalizing rematch when the circuit returns to Monaco later this summer, where Moraa will surely be looking for revenge.
While Moraa didn’t get the birthday win she was hoping for, her season-best time and spirited performance show she’s still in top shape as she builds toward the Tokyo World Championships. And for Georgia Bell, Stockholm could be the start of something special.
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