Ferdinand Omanyala to miss Commonwealth Games trials

Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala will not compete in the national trials for the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games starting Friday at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi.

Omanyala, who is fresh from winning the men's 100m race at the Kip Keino Classic, said he is due to fly out on Wednesday to Italy for the Castiglione della Pescaia International Meeting planned for Sunday.

However, Omanyala’s place in Team Kenya to the “Club” Games is guaranteed by virtue of his impeccable performance in the 100m.

After the World Athletics Continental Challenger in Italy, Omanyala will move to Germany on Monday where he will pitch his training ahead of the 61st Ostrava Golden Spike, the World Athletics Continental Golf Tour event on May 31 in the Czech Republic.

Omanyala will compete in two more races in Germany on May 25 and 28 before the Ostrava Golden Spike.

“I also want to give others a chance to prove themselves at the Commonwealth Games trials. It’s my hope to get a worthy partner ahead of the games,” said Omanyala, who is set to clash with one of his sprinting idols, Yohan Blake at the Ostrava Golden Spike.

Golden Spike organisers last Wednesday told Nation Sport that they had roped in Blake, the world’s second fastest ever in the 200 metres, in the stellar 100m field that also has South Africa’s Akani Simbine.

Also in the field is Jamaica-born Canadian Jerome Blake, silver medallist in the short relays at last year’s Tokyo Olympics.

Jerome Blake’s 100m personal best time is 10.00 seconds with Omanyala the second fastest in the Ostrava field with 9.77.

Omanyala will then return to the country to prepare for the Africa Senior Athletics Championships programmed from June 8 to 12 at Cote d’Or National Sports Complex, Reduit, Mauritius.

Omanyala hinted that after the Africa event, he could make his second appearance at the Diamond League in Oslo on June 16 in Norway.

“I will have several events within a month and I thank God for his mercies. I always prayed for that and here we are,” said Omanyala.

Omanyala said that he is working on his transition to top end speed.

"I am doing my training in 30m dash so as to try make my fifth to 10th steps  smooth and swift," said Omanyala, who aims to hit 9.60 seconds at the World Athletics Championships due for June 15 to 24 in Oregon, United States.

The 26-year-old ran a world leading time this year of 9.85 seconds when clinching the Kip Keino Classic title at the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani on May 7 in front of thousands of fans.

Omanyala had the previous year clocked 9.77 seconds to finish second at the Kip Kieno Classic, making him the eighth fastest man ever in 100m. American Trayvon Bromell won the race in 9.76 sec.

Omanyala made his debut in the Diamond League on September 3, last year in Brussels where he finished fifth in 10.02sec on his way to finishing second at Kip Keino Classic on September 18.