‘Omanyalamania’ great for athletics, says US champ Noah Lyles

In Paris 

USA’s two-time world 200 metres champion Noah Lyles believes the “Omanyalamania” fever is good tonic for the sport, saying the Africa 100 metres champion has brought fresh excitement to track and field.

Lanky Lyles, competing in his first 100m of this season’s Diamond League in Paris on Friday, edged out a fighting Omanyala at the death, winning by the thickness of a vest in 9.97 seconds which was just one hundredth of a second faster than the stocky, fast-rising Kenyan.

Omanyala’s 9.98 was notably his first sub-10 seconds run on European soil and will keep him more motivated for a podium finish at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August.

Omanyala’s progression has been impressive over the last three years, the policeman consistently running sub-10 seconds times each year – 9.77 (Africa record) in 2021; 9.85 in 2022 and 9.84 this year, interestingly all these times clocked at the Kip Keino Classic at Kasarani.

Omanyala’s role model, Jamaica’s 2011 world champion over the distance Yohan Blake, finished fourth on Friday in 10.16, trailing third-placed Botswana sensation Letsile Tebogo (10.05) who responded well to a heavy tumble some 10 metres out.

Lyles and Omanyala were celebrating at the bend after the finish line, both looking up at the giant stadium screen to confirm just who was the outright winner, the American turning around and pointing his index finger at Omanyala in appreciation of the Kenyan’s worthwhile challenge. 

Lyles had taken note of Omanyala’s power at last month’s Adidas Atlanta City Games where the American (14.56 seconds) burst through in the last 50 metres to win the rarely-run 150m race after Omanyala (14.89) had thrown down the gauntlet, forging ahead at 100m.

Omanyala’s Atlanta time was also an African 150m record, an improvement from Namibian Frankie Fredericks’ 14.99 set in 1993 (but on the way to finishing a 200m race).

Lyles, 25, noted that Omanyala’s crown-pleasing showmanship was good for the sport.

“He’s running good and has charismatic energy,” the American said. “He gets the crowd excited and I love to see someone who gets the crowd excited.”

Despite another somewhat slow reaction off the blocks, Omanyala wasn’t too disappointed with his own race, saying it was an important building block as he constructs his way to the podium in Budapest.

“It was good because the progress has been there and the consistency has been there, and it’s all about building towards the World Championships… I thought I won though,” he told Nation Sport with a smile trackside at the packed, 20,000-seater Stade Sebastien Charlety.

“We’re getting there. It’s just a matter of maintaining it and putting more work to it. The good thing is that we are building up well towards the World Championships,” he added as Olympic legend and National Olympic Committee of Kenya President Paul Tergat jumped in to congratulate him at the media mixed zone.

What next for the 27-year-old, freshly passed-out policeman?

“I’ll take time off competition and then the National Championships then just chill and wait to pick it up again in July,” he disclosed.

He will most probably skip the Diamond League races in Stockholm (Sweden) on July 2 and Silesia (Poland) on July 16, making an appearance at the Monaco leg on July 21.

The warm conditions and passionate, knowledgeable Parisian crowd was a motivating factor for Omanyala who is seeking to become the first African to get onto the 100m podium in the 40-year-old World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

“It was warm tonight and the environment was alright… the fans were there, the (NOC-K) President was there so for me, it was a good environment for a good race,” he observed.

Italy’s injury-plagued Olympic champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs was the talk of town with speculation over whether or not he would show up at the starting line following a series of injury-enforced no-shows in the 100m this season.

He was seen pacing up and down the stadium with well-built bodyguards in tow, wearing black t-shirts emblazoned “Team Jacobs” at the back.

Jacobs did start the race and appeared in contention early on after a blistering launch off the blocks, but he faded at the 40-metre mark to finish seventh in 10.21, perhaps hoping to build on that for a stab at the medals in Budapest.

Men’s 100m results

1. Noah Lyles (USA) 9.97,

2. Ferdinand Omanyala (Kenya) 9.98,

3. Letsile Tebogo (Botswana) 10.05,

4. Yohan Blake (Jamaica) 10.16,

5. Ronnie Baker (USA) 10.17,

6. Benjamin Azamati (Ghana) 10.20,

7. Lamont Marcell Jacobs (Italy) 10.21,

8. Mouhamadou Fall (France) 10.22.