NAIROBI, Kenya, June 14 – National 800m champion Lilian Odira admits she has made a lot of sacrifices to recover her best form after returning from maternity leave.
Odira admitted it is difficult to balance between family and her career as an athlete but has somehow managed to juggle both of them successfully.
“It is all about putting your focus forward and at times, you decide on what you have to do. Balancing between family and this athletics is not easy. It is not a smooth journey…you have to sacrifice a lot,” she said.
Odira’s sacrifices are so far rewarding her handsomely, with the Kenya Prisons Service officer securing her place on the plane to the Paris Olympics in July.
She clocked 1:59.27 to clinch the women’s 800m at Friday’s national trials for the Paris Olympics, ahead of world 800m champion Mary Moraa (1:59.35) and Sarah Moraa (1:59.39) in second and third respectively.
The 25-year-old described the win as her greatest achievement yet, adding that it is a just reward for the arduous journey she has endured ever since she returned from maternity leave.
“I have been looking for the qualification time for the Olympics and now I have achieved it. It is a great achievement for me…this has been my year from the time I came back from maternity leave. I thank God…this is great progress…and I am still aiming higher,” Odira said.
She credited her coach, Jacinta Muraguri, for her motherly and professional support.
“She’s a good coach…she’s always there with me in good and even tough times. She has always been there to help me with my fitness. She has pushed me to achieve this so all my gratitude goes to her as well as my family,” Odira said.
First things first, Odira will be competing at next week’s Africa Athletics Championships in Douala, Cameroon where she is angling for an excellent performance in the one-lap race.
“I am hoping to bring a medal. My ultimate hope is to win gold the most important thing is to be on the podium. Afterwards, I’ll come back and focus on the Olympics,” she said.
Odira’s last international competition was at March’s African Games where she clocked 2:00.81 to finish fourth in the women’s 800m.
