My time is now, Otieno scents Tokyo Olympics

"I need more races now more than ever!"

That was the appeal from former national 100m champion and record holder Mark Otieno, who won both men 100m and 200m as the All Comers Athletics Meet ended at the National Heroes Stadium, Lusaka on Sunday.

Otieno inched closer to qualifying for the Tokyo Olympic Games in 100m when he improved his personal record by 0.3 seconds, missing the Olympics qualifying time by 0.06sec.

Otieno, who had clocked 10.19sec to win his 100m semi-final race, stormed to victory in 10.11sec in the final on Saturday.

He outclassed Ngoni Makusha from Zimbabwe and Malawian Stern Liffa to second and third places in 10.28sec and 10.38sec respectively.

On Sunday, the 27-year-old Otieno clocked season's best 20.46 sec to win men's 200m, beating Sibusiso Matetsenjwa from Eswatini to second place in 20.47 as Kenya-based Tatang Kamanga from Denmark settled third in 20.48.

Otieno's feat in 100m saw him erase his previous personal best of 10.14ses set when winning the national title in 2017.

The qualifying standard for Tokyo Olympic Games is 10.05sec in 100m and 20.24 sec in 200m.

"That experience was so good... I liked it. I enjoyed myself," said Otieno. "I just now need more races than ever since I believe I can hit the Olympic qualifying times in 100m and 200m."

Otieno went into Lusaka with season best of 10.17sec having also ran 10.24 sec and 10.82sec. He had season's best of 20.86sec in 200m. "My progress this season especially in 100m tells it all. I can easily run sub 10 seconds with more races in place. What we lack is finance and quality races," said Otieno.

Ferdinand Omanyala also ran 10.11 sec during the National Relay Series on January 23 at the Nyayo National Stadium but it was judged to be wind assisted.

However, Omanyala finally downed the National Record on March 30 when he won his 100m during the Betking MoC Grand Prix at Yabatech Complex in Lagos.

The performance was enough to see Omanyala attained the Tokyo Olympic Games qualifying standards but all was in vain because of his previous ban for doping violation. The government and Athletics Kenya have lock out any athlete who have been caught to have sanctioned for from representing the country.

Athletics Kenya is yet to ratify Omanyala's time from Nigeria but have written to Nigeria Athletics to provide the official results and doping tests results from the championships before they can ratify the record.