I'm the king! Otieno beats Omanyala in 100m final
Mark Otieno celebrates winning the men's 100m during the second Athletics Kenya Track and Field Meeting at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on March 13, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Otieno, who has personal best 10.14seconds, downed 10.24sec this time around, a day after gliding to victory in the semi-final in 10.17
- National 200m record holder Maximilla Imali won women's 100m in 11.95sec, beating Doreen Waka and Monica Safania to second and third places in 12.19sec and 12.19sec respectively
National 100m record holder Mark Otieno Saturday put his spikes firmly down to beat national 100m champion Ferdinand Omanyala once again and win the 100m final at second leg of Athletics Kenya Track and Field Meeting at Kasarani.
After a false start where Hesbon Ochieng exited, Otieno took off the blocks superbly with good acceleration as compared to Omanyala, who was jittery on take off.
Otieno, who has personal best 10.14seconds, downed 10.24sec this time around, a day after gliding to victory in the semi-final in 10.17.
Omanyala, who finished second in the semis in 10.32sec settled for similar position behind Otieno in 10.40sec.
"My target was to hammer the Tokyo Olympic Games qualifying time of 10.05sec but my calf brought complications. It was a bit tight," said the 27-year-old Otieno, who welcomed the all fierce competition from Omanyala.
"He is raw when it comes to competition. He means business and that is a great motivation since it pushes us to the limit," said Otieno.
"Jitters and fears of false start got into my nerves and I think I need to work on that," said Omanyala, who blasted to wind assisted 10.11sec in January during the relay series. He would clock 10.18sec, 10.61 and 10.29 during the first track and field meeting last month.
National 200m record holder Maximilla Imali won women's 100m in 11.95sec, beating Doreen Waka and Monica Safania to second and third places in 12.19sec and 12.19sec respectively.
Elsewhere, Josephine Chelangat stunned Continental Cup champion Winnie Chebet to win women's 1,500m in 4:40.6 against 4:11.0. Loice Chemining timed 4:15.2 for third place.
Able Kipsang won the corresponding men's race in 3:37.7 beating Moses Kemboi to second place in 3:41.5. Matthew Kipsang timed 3:42.0 for third place.
Tokyo Olympic Games-bound Samuel Gathimba and Emily Ngii won the men and women's 15km race walk with ease.
Gathimba, the reigning Africa champion, stopped the clock at 1:01:54 for his second consecutive victory, beating Simon Wachira and youngster Dominic Ndigiti in 1:06.20 and 1:07.50.
Ngii, the Africa champion, paced through to win in 1:14.14 as Sylvia Kemboi timed 1:18.28 for second.
