Omanyala lands lucrative partnership with Toyota

Africa 100 metres record holder Ferdinand Omanyala is now the Toyota Hilux Double Cab ambassador in Kenya.

Omanyala follows in the footsteps of marathon king Eliud Kipchoge who has been Isuzu Dmax brand ambassador since 2017.

Africa and Commonwealth Games 100 metres champion Omanyala Saturday told Nation Sport that he has signed a deal with CFAO Motors Kenya Limited (formerly Toyota Kenya) for the car believed to be worth around Sh6.5 million.

“Yes, I’m their brand ambassador on a four-year contract,” said the national 60m and 100m record holder who posted on social media his photos standing next to the car with words “The car in front is always a TOYOTA.”

He added: “I signed it [the deal] in June. Just announced yesterday (December 7). Of course, there is money involved.”

He said he is yet to use the vehicle. “Not yet. But, it’s a very good and powerful car,” noted the two-time Kip Keino Classic Continental Tour 100m champion who boasts of personal bests of 6.54 seconds in 60m indoor races and 9.77 seconds in his speciality 100m outdoor event.

Omanyala had a hugely successful year last season except for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary where he finished seventh out of eight runners in the final.

Since shooting to fame in 2021, Omanyala has landed several lucrative deals, including with German Multinational Corporation, Adidas, Aids Healthcare Foundation as an African Ambassador for the Vaccinate Our World (VOW) campaign, and technology payment partner for the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games with Visa.

His fiancée Laventa Amutavi, who is also a sprinter, recently inked a commercial deal with betting company Betika to be its brand ambassador for multi-discipline sports festival BingwaFest slated for December 7 to 9 in Uasin Gishu.

Omanyala, who recently changed coaches replacing Duncan Ayiemba with Geoffrey Kimani, said recently he will start the new season in Miramas, France in February 2024.