Omanyala now eyeing titles to crown remarkable form
Kenya's Ferdinand Omanyala competes in the men's 60 metres heats during The World Athletics Indoor Championships 2022 at the Stark Arena, in Belgrade, on March 19, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Omanyala destroyed Africa and Commonwealth Games champion South African Akani Simbine in winning the ASA Athletics Grand Prix 4 at Germiston, Johannesburg, in 9.98 seconds on Wednesday night
- Omanyala went to Germiston carrying victory from ASA Athletics Grand Prix 3 on April 6 at McArthur Stadium
Africa’s fastest man Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala cracked the second fastest time this year in South Africa before shifting his focus to Kenya National Athletics Championships and Kip Keino Classic.
“I now have the Africa record but no medals. That is what I want to work on now. I need those titles now. Nothing is impossible, “ said Omanyala in a chat with Nation Sport.
Omanyala, who destroyed Africa and Commonwealth Games champion South African Akani Simbine in winning the ASA Athletics Grand Prix 4 at Germiston, Johannesburg, in 9.98 seconds on Wednesday night, said he hoped to run below 9.7 seconds by June.
Simbine finished second in 10.11 as another South African Bradley Nkoana came in third in 10.32.
Omanyala said the performance will give him a good grounding ahead of the World Athletics Championships and Commonwealth Games later this year.
“I can see myself breaking my own African record before the end of this year. I want to run 9.7 seconds before June, which should give me a good platform to chase for medals at the Africa Athletics Championships, World Athletics Championships and Commonwealth Games,” said Omanyala, who flies back to Kenya on Sunday.
The Kenya National Athletics Championships are due from April 28 to 30 while the Kip Keino Classic will be held on May 7.
The two events will be staged at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
The World Athletics Championships will be held from July 15 to 24 in Oregon, United States while the Commonwealth Games will be in Birmingham, United Kingdom from July 28 to August 8.
Omanyala said he had a good start in his showdown with Simbine in the meeting that double up as the World Athletics Continental Challenger.
“Personally, I don’t compete against people but the time I set to achieve at that particular meeting. I had set to run a sub-10 seconds coming to this race and I achieved that, and glory be to God,” said Omanyala, who broke Simbine’s African record with new time of 9.77 at last year’s Kip Keino Classic.
“I had a good start, and my desire was to control the race, which I did,” said Omanyala.
Omanyala went to Germiston carrying victory from ASA Athletics Grand Prix 3 on April 6 at McArthur Stadium. He clocked 10.11 seconds.
