Ferdinand Omanyala joins the sub 10 club, shatters own record

Kenya's Ferdinand Omanyala reacts after finishing third

Kenya's Ferdinand Omanyala celebrates after finishing third in men's 100m semi-finals Heat 1 during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 1, 2021.

Photo credit: Joan Peruran | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Speedster at it again, winning International Josko Luaf Meet race in Austria with a new personal best time as he flirts with 9 sec
  • Omanyala realised his dream on Saturday when he broke his own 100m National Record for the fourth time this year, clocking 9.86 seconds
  • Omanyala had in the semi-final gone under 10 seconds for the first time when he won in 9.96 seconds before exploding to a new personal best time in the final.
  • The feat by Omanyala, who became the first Kenyan to run under 10 seconds, saw him come close to equaling the African record by 0.02 seconds

Kenya’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala is at it again.

The 25-year-old speedster set his sights on lowering his personal best with a sub 10 seconds performance this year.

And, oh boy, Omanyala did it in emphatic style on Saturday when he broke his own 100m national record for the fourth time this year, clocking 9.86 seconds on his way to winning the men’s 100m at the International Josko Lauf Meeting in Austria.

In fact, Omanyala had in the semi-final gone under 10 seconds for the first time when he won in 9.96 seconds, a nation record, before lowering it further in the final.

Omanyala edged out Jamal Rhoden-Stevensw from Great Britain to second place in 10.32 as  Czech’s Adam Raska settled for third in a personal best of 10.82.

“Somebody tell me I am not dreaming!! This will sink in years later,” said Omanyala on his Facebook page.

Omanyala, who took time to thank his coach Duncan Ayiemba for his exploits, said his next race will be at Lahti Motonet Grand Prix on August 19 in Finland.

Omanyala broke his Kenya record twice at the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics, returning times of 10.01 and 10.00 in the heats and semi-finals respectively. He made history as the first Kenyan to reach an Olympics men’s 100m semi-finals.

The feat by Omanyala, who became the first Kenyan to run under 10 seconds, saw him come close to equalling the African record by 0.02 seconds.

South African Akani Simbine holds the continental best time of 9.84 set on July 6 at the Gyulai István Memorial in Székesfehérvár, Hungary.

Omanyala, a former rugby player, is now placed number eight in the world rankings.

Ahead of him are leader American Trayvon Bromell (9.77) and Olympic 100m champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs (9.80) of Italy.