Ferdinand Omanyala finally breaks national 100m record
Ferdinand Omanyala competes in 100m heat during second leg of Athletics Kenya (AK) Relay Series at Nyayo National Stadium on January 23, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Athletics Kenya and the government have indicated that any athlete sanctioned for a doping offence will not represent the country in any championship events.
- "I am glad to have achieved my target of breaking the national record as well as attaining the Olympic qualification time," said an elated Omanyala from Nigeria.
Kenya's 100m champion Ferdinand Omanyala has finally set a new national record over the distance.
Omanyala set the record when he won one of the six 100m semi-final races in 10.01 seconds on Tuesday evening at the ongoing Betking MoC Grand Prix at Yabatech Sports Complex in Lagos, Nigeria.
Omanyala's time, if ratified, will erase former national champion Mark Otieno's time of 10.14 set in 2017.
The scintillating show saw Omanyala attain the qualifying standards for the Tokyo Olympic Games after surpusing the targeted mark of 10.05sec,
In fact, Omanyala had on January 29 this year shattered the national record, clocking 10.11sec during the National Relay Series, but was judged to have been wind-assisted.
However, whether Omanyala will be allowed to represent Kenya at the Tokyo Olympic Games due July 23 to August 8, is a different thing altogether after he had previously been sanctioned for a doping offence.
Athletics Kenya and the government have indicated that any athlete sanctioned for a doping offence will not represent the country in any championship events.
"I am glad to have achieved my target of breaking the national record as well as attaining the Olympic qualification time," said an elated Omanyala from Nigeria.
