Omanyala steals the show at third AK meet
Ferdinand Omanyala wins the men's 100 metres semi-final race during Third Athletics Kenya Track and Field Meeting at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on March 04, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Omanyala of Kenya Police Service won his seventh heat in 10.04 seconds but the performance was judged as wind-assisted
- The championships also saw hammer throwers Dominic Abunda( KDF), Rose Rakamba (Police) and Lucy Omondi (KDF) attain the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games qualifying mark
- Komen (KDF) took off midway through the 25-lap race to win in 32:33.81, beating Agnes Mumbua, who won the First AK Track and Field Meeting at the same venue
Africa's fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala showed good form in his 100 metres heat as Purity Komen won women's 10,000m during the Third Athletics Kenya Track and Field Meeting at Nyayo National Stadium on Friday.
The championships also saw hammer throwers Dominic Abunda (KDF), Rose Rakamba (Police) and Lucy Omondi (KDF) attain the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games qualifying mark.
Omanyala of Kenya Police Service won his seventh heat in 10.04 seconds, a world leading time this year, but the performance was judged as wind-assisted.
"It's am satisfied with my take-off at the blocks, which has improved. I attribute it to my 60m outing at the World Indoor Tour last month in France," said Omanyala, who beat Dennis Nyongesa, who settled second in 10.74.
Omanyala said he was expecting a sub 10 seconds but eased off after 80m. "It was easy. I still have two more heats before the final," said Omanyala, who holds the Africa 100m record of 9.77 and the National Record in 60m indoor of 6.57.
The men's 100m first round had 17 heats of eight athletes each.
Samuel Imeto from Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) was the second fastest in 100m in 10.32 from his victory in the eighth heat as Hesbon Ochieng of Kenya Prisons Service returned the third quickest time when winning the ninth heat in 10.55.
Monica Zephania (left) goes head to head with Doreen Waka in women's 100 metres semi-final race during Third Athletics Kenya Track and Field Meeting at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on March 04, 2022.
Stephen Oluoch and Stephen Onyango all from KDF won the 11th and 10th heats in 10.64 and 10.68 respectively.
Komen (KDF) took off midway through the 25-lap race to win in 32:33.81, beating Agnes Mumbua, who won the First AK Track and Field Meeting at the same venue.
Mumbua of Southern clocked 33:10.43 as Emily Chebet from Lemotit, Kericho sealed the podium in 33:26.69.
Abunda, who is the national hammer throw champion, hauled 60.65 metres to win men's event and in the process beat the the qualifying standard distance of 59m and sail through to the Commonwealth Games planned from July 28 to August 8 in Birmingham, Great Britain.
Athletes participate in women's 3,000 metres steeplechase race during Third Athletics Kenya Track and Field Meeting at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on March 04, 2022.
Rakamba threw 54.16m to win women's hammer throw and also book her ticket to the "Club" Games for the first time. Omondi, who finished second in 52.82m, also secured her ticket to her third Commonwealth Games. The women's qualifying mark is 48m.
The trio also met the qualifying standards for the Africa Senior Athletics Championships set for June in Mauritius this year.
