Omanyala's heroics earn him new training partner from South Africa

If you can't beat them, join them...so the saying goes.

That aptly describes South Africa’s sprinter Henricho Bruintjies plans to shift his base to Kenya to train with Africa’s finest sprinter ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Bruintjies, the 2018 Commonwealth Games 100metres silver medallist hopes that joining Commonwealth Games and Africa 100m champion, Ferdinand Omanyala’s stable will help him run fast times.

“Omanyala is one of the most hard working athletes I have met and I believe he will push me to bring out the best in me,” said Bruintjies, the 2022 Africa 100m bronze medallist.

“My main focus this year is to run good times and prepare myself for the 2024 Paris Olympics hence my plan to return to Kenya permanently and see how it goes,” said Bruintjies.

Henricho Bruintjies has personal best of 9.97sec in 100m and 20.62sec in 200m all set in 2015 and 6.79sec in 60m indoor from 2012.

Omanyala has personal best of 9.77sec in 100m that is also an African record set at 2021 Kip Keino Classic and 20.33sec in 200m attained at the National Championships last year.

He is fresh from breaking his own 60m indoor national record with a time of 6.55sec at Mondeville Meeting, France on Wednesday. 

The 29-year-old Bruintjies explains that he got to know Omanyala at a personal level during the Kip Keino Classic in May last year before meeting again during the Commonwealth Games held July 28 to August 9 in Birmingham, England last year.

“It’s at the Commonwealth Games where we started to have a conversation on working out together,” said Bruintjies, who came to the country in November last year.

“So far it has been an amazing experience. The Kenyan people are receptive, warm and good...It's a warm feeling here,” said Bruintjies, adding that the one other thing that has amazed him is the enthusiasm of Omanyala’s training regime.

“They are hungry for performance and that will bring the best out of me,” said Bruintjies, who is yet to beat Omanyala in their several encounters from last year. “Ferdinand started something that I also need to know.”

Omanyala has welcomed Bruintjies' move saying it will be helpful for both of them. "It was a good surprise when he joined me in November last year. Our training is now like  competition," said Omanyala, who is currently in the World Indoor Tour in Europe.

Omanyala says that they push past their limits since neither of them wants to lose even in training. "It's a big plus for me as it will make me better everyday," said Omanyala.

Bruintjies and Omanyala first met during the ASA Athletics Grand Prix 4 at Germiston Stadium, Johannesburg on April 13 last year where the Kenyan prevailed in 9.98 seconds. Bruintjies settled fourth in 10.38.

They faced off again at the Kip Keino Classic on May 7 at the Moi International Sports Centre, where Omanyala won in 9.85sec with Bruintjies coming fourth in 10.13sec.

They would square it out again in the men's 100m final at the African Athletics Championships, Cote d'Or National Sports Complex, St Pierre, Mauritius on June 9 last year.

Omanyala would clock 9.93sec to claim his maiden continental title, dethroning South Africa’s Akani Simbine to second place in a thrilling photo-finish as Bruintjies came in third in 10.01sec.

“If I can improve my times this year then anything is possible...I just have to make sure that I stay injury free and have a good year,” said Bruintjies, who was in South Africa’s 4x100m team that claimed silver at the African Athletics Championships where  Omanyala’s "Imeta Team” reigned supreme.