Two-time national 800m champion Lilian Odira is banking on a sharp outing at the Silesia Diamond League on August 12 to sharpen her form ahead of her maiden appearance at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September.
Odira booked her ticket to the global showdown after clinching top honours at the national trials on July 22 at the Ulinzi Sports Complex. She clocked 2:13.85 to edge out Vivian Chebet (2:14.05) and Sarah Moraa (2:14.31) in a tactical race.
The 26-year-old will now join reigning world champion Mary Moraa, Chebet, and Sarah Moraa in a formidable Kenyan quartet set to challenge for podium spots in Tokyo. Odira has set her sights on sharpening her race craft in Silesia, hoping to test herself against a world-class field over the two-lap event.
"I am hoping to go to the Silesia Diamond League, which I will use to prepare myself for Tokyo because I will be running with world beaters," Odira told the Star after her race at the national trials.
Her main target in Silesia will be lowering her 1:58.31 personal best set at the Kip Keino Classic on May 31. "I hope to lower my personal best or to clock a good time there."
Tokyo will mark Odira’s third outing in Kenyan colours, having featured at the 2024 Paris Olympics and the 2025 World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China.
In Paris, Odira clocked 1:58.53 in her semifinal heat, missing out on a spot in the final, which saw Britain's Keely Hodgkinson claim gold in 1:56.72 ahead of Ethiopia's Tsige Duguma (1:57.15) and Moraa (1:57.42).
At the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, she also missed out on the finals after a 2:16.12 finish in her semifinal heat. Despite the near-misses, Odira believes the experience has toughened her for the battles ahead.
"So far, I am getting more confident on the track. I gained experience at the Paris Olympics and then at the World Indoors, so I feel now I have proper experience."
Though slightly nervous about her first World Championships, Odira is drawing strength from her experience against top-tier competition.
"I am nervous, but I also have some courage because I have run with the same athletes I expect to meet in Tokyo, and that gives me courage," she said. She, however, remains tight-lipped about her medal ambitions in Tokyo, revealing that she and her coach will map out a focused plan in the coming weeks.
"I can't talk about Tokyo for now, but we will sit down with my coach to draft a good training programme for the World Championships so that we know what will be possible."
Her main focus in training will be improving her speed. "I want to work on my speed. I have done a lot of endurance, so now I want to focus more on the speed."
"Tokyo will have heats, semis and finals, so you have to have a good programme to make the finals," she noted.
