Modest Omanyala heads to France for indoor races

Africa’s fastest Ferdinand Omanyala has left his options open and let his legs do the talking as he aims to capture the 60 metres title at Elite Indoor Track Miramas Meeting on Friday in France.

It is in Miramas where Omanyala equaled his national record in 60m last year when he finished second in 6.60 seconds behind Arthur Cisse from Cote d’Ivoire, who won in 6.57.

Omanyala, the Commonwealth Games champion, set the new 60m national record for the first time of 6.60 sec at Meeting Metz Moselle Athlelor on February 12, 2022, in France.

But Omanyala took swift revenge against Cisse whom he beat to second place, setting a national record time of 6.55. Cisse timed 6.59 as Briton Charles Dobson settled third in season’s best 6.61sec.

Omanyala will once again come up against Cisse, who is the fastest in the pack with personal best 6.54 in Miramas field that also has Adam Thomas (6.56) and Andrew Robertson (6.54) all from Great Britain.

Omanyala will compete in two indoor meetings in France--Elite Indoor Track Miramas and Meeting de Paris on February 11 in the French capital--that will help him prepare adequately for the World Athletics Indoor Championships scheduled for March 1 to 3 in Glasgow, Scotland.

It will be Omanyala’s second appearance at the world indoor, having reached the semi-finals during the 2022 championships held in Belgrade, Serbia.

Omanyala, the Africa 100m champion, clocked 6.62 to win his heat before timing 6.64 for fourth place in the semi as Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs from Italy went on to win gold in 6.41, beating Americans Christian Coleman (6.41) and Marvin Bracy (6.44).

Omanyala was reserved on his expectations at his world indoor tour and ultimately world indoor championships vis-à-vis the national record and any possibility of a world indoor championships medal.  

“I am looking forward to seeing what the season has in store for me. I want to handle every day as it comes and make sure I get the execution right when it comes to any race.

“I have no predictions because I don’t want to give you people much expectations and hopes like I did before the World Championships in Hungary last year...you all know what happened,” said Omanyala, who reached the final at the world event in Hungary, only to finish seventh.

“I don’t want to think ahead of myself or put too much pressure and expectations on myself. I learnt never to go ahead of myself,” said Omanyala, who is being handled by strength and conditioning coach, Geoffrey Kimani.

Omanyala has had a good build up for three months where he competed in 400m and 200m at the Athletics Kenya Track and Fielding Meetings this month, clocking 49.06 and 20.46 seconds (+0.4ms) respectively.

“I have had the best  preseason and clocking 20.4 6 in 200m in January means my endurance is coming out well, having dropped three kilograms to my 86kgs. I felt comfortable running with great hip mobility,” said Omanyala.

There are minor aspects of Omanyala's game that they have been working on notably speed endurance.