World women’s 800m champion Lilian Odira was honored by the Kenya Prisons Service after winning gold medal at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan in September.
During the World event, Odira produced a storming finish to win an astonishing women’s 800 metres world gold, smashing her personal best by almost two seconds and erasing the 42-year-old championship record.
Odira looked out of it with 30 metres to go but surged past two Britons leading the race to win in one minute, 54.62 seconds, beating the mark set by Czech Jarmila Kratochvilova at the first world championships in 1983.
Odira promoted after historic World record victory
The 26-year-old was promoted to the rank of sergeant from constable in a colourful ceremony presided over by the Commissioner General of Prisons, Patrick Aranduh, at the Kenya Prisons Headquarters in Nairobi on Friday, October 3rd.
In a statement, the Kenya Prisons Service said: “The Kenya Prisons Service is proud to announce the promotion of Lillian (Odira) to the rank of Sergeant following her historic triumph at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, where she broke the 800m world record after 43 years.”
Speaking after confirming Odira’s promotion, Aranduh praised Odira for carrying hopes of Kenya Prisons and the Kenyan country at large in Tokyo, and returning to the East African nation as a global icon.
”For the sportsmen and women who represented our nation in Tokyo, welcome back home. When you left for Tokyo, you carried the hopes of the service and the flag of our nation, Kenya,” said Aranduh.
“Today, you return not just as officers but as global icons. You have walked the same tracks as the world’s best, and you have proven beyond any doubt that you belong amongst the best. Your good performances have brought honour not only to our beloved Kenya, but the Service as well.”
In response, Odira said she was happy to have been honoured and further warned that she had just started to win medals.
“I am so grateful, I want to thank my commissioner general, the whole of Kenya Prisons family, for the honour, it feels do grate, going fighting for the country and department, and you come back to such an honour, and reward, it is very grateful,” said Odira, who in 2024 became Kenyan national champion over 800 metres, before retaining her title in 2025.
“I think the reward will motivate me even more for future assignments, I will have to work even harder for greater things, this is just the start of my journey and I am aiming to do even better in the future.”
She was a semi-finalist at the 2024 Olympic Games and 2025 World Indoor Championships.
‘Mary Moraa is my good friend’
In a recent interview, Odira explained how competing alongside Mary Moraa in the 800m women’s race had brought the best out of her career.
“Mary Moraa is my good friend; she is one of the best friends that I have, and I think this was the second time we were running together after the Olympic trials,” Odira said as quoted by Pulse Sports.
Discussing what transpired before racing the final in Tokyo, she said: “Before the race, Mary Moraa said we give it our all. She was my roommate, and she advised me not to go back to the room with regrets...it was nice.”
“I think in sports, unity and love are the key things. In 2023, Mary was the world champion, and she never knew if I would be a world champion, but I am now, and I don’t know who will be the next champion.”
She continued: “Love and unity work together, and we never envy anybody, and right now, if I go to a race with Mary Moraa and she wins, I won’t envy her because that is her hard work. We have that unity, and we have a lot of support.
“When I was going to the Diamond League Meeting in Silesia, Mary Moraa called me and told me not to let go of the pace, and I feel like this is someone who wishes me well, so I shouldn’t have a reason to envy her. The unity and love are why we are prospering.”
Odira was born in Migori County and grew up in a rural setting. She attended St. Peters Keberesi Secondary School in Kisii County. Initially a cross-country runner, in 2016, aged 17, Odira won the Kenyan national high school title in the 800 metres before placing third at the East African School Games.
