Ferdinand Omanyala joins National Police Service
African 100m record holder Ferdinand Omanyala poses with the trophy after he was namedt he LG Sports Personality of the Month for September 2021.
What you need to know:
- According to a statement on National Police Service social media on Friday, the 25-year-old sensational sprinter has taken up a new role that will see him represent the National Police Service in future track events
- Omanyala thanked National Police Service and government for supporting talent and promised to repay this kindness with success in the track events
- Mutyambai urged Omanyala to maintain his sporting discipline for him to realise his full potential and at the same time deliver on his new role as a police athlete
Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala has joined the National Police Service.
According to a statement on National Police Service social media pages on Friday, the 25-year-old sensational sprinter has taken up a new role that will see him represent the National Police Service in future track events.
The statement further disclosed that Omanyala was briefed on his new role in the morning when he called on the Inspector General, Hillary Mutyambai at his Jogoo House office. He will serve as an Inspector.
Present to witness his induction was the Dean of Students University of Nairobi, Johnson Kinyua and the Student Union (UNSA) Head of Communication, Joshua Sirma.
Omanyala thanked National Police Service and government for supporting talents and promised to repay this kindness with success in the track events.
'It is an honour to serve the National Police Service and I promise to give my best as an athlete," he added. "I also understand that there is life after sprinting."
Mutyambai urged Omanyala to maintain his sporting discipline for him to realise his full potential and at the same time deliver on his new role as a police athlete.
"I wish you well in the service to your country," said Mutyambai.
Omanyala, a second-year Bachelor of Science student at the University of Nairobi, rose to stardom in Lagos, Nigeria where he shattered the National Record with a new time of 10.01 seconds on March 30, this year. The time at the 'Making of Champions (MOC) Grand Prix' saw him qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
He finished third in the Olympics semi-finals, equaling his National Record of 10.01 seconds.
His trajectory was unstoppable as he went ahead to break the record with a time of 10.00 in the semi-finals even though he failed to reach the final.
However, he became the first Kenyan to run under 10 seconds when he strode to victory at the International Josko Laufmeeting, Austria on August 14 in 9.96 in the semis before winning the final in 9.86.
The rugby-player-turned-sprinter thrilled Kenyans by clocking an impressive African best time of 9.77 seconds, breaking the 9.85 record by South African Akani Simbine at the Kip-Keino Classic held on September 18 this year at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
The feat made him the fastest man in Africa and the eighth all-time world best in the 100 metres.
Omanyala now joins a pool of other elite athletes in the National Police Service including the likes of David Rudisha, Joshua Kamworor, Vivian Cheruiyot, Julius Yego, the legendary Ezekiel Kemboi among others.
