Omanyala runs fastest 100m ever on Kenyan soil

University of Nairobi student Ferdinand Omanyala Saturday blasted to the fastest time in 100m on Kenya soil during the second leg of Athletics Kenya Relays Series at Nyayo National Stadium.

The 25-year-old Bachelor of Science chemistry won the 10th heat in 10.11 seconds but failed to realise his dream of the time being ratified as a National Record since it was judged as wind assisted.

The wind was cruising at 3.4 metres per second when Omanyala tore the red tartan track at the 30,000 seater arena yet the required speed should be below 2.0m/s.

Mark Otieno gets to keep his NR over 100m of 10.14 sec set in 2017.

Omanyala, who is the reigning national 100 champion, edged out Ian Otieno and Josiah Innocent to second and third places in 11.84sec and 11.96 sec respectively.

"I just want to get out of the country and compete abroad...it’s time to go international now," said Omanyala. “The performance is as a result of the good preseason I had with the Kenya Sevens rugby team in November and December.”

Omanyala now targets to run sub 10 seconds in the coming months and attain the Olympic qualifying mark of 10.05 seconds. “It’s a shame my time won’t be ratified as a national record but God’s time is the best. It will come gradually,” said Omanyala.

Omanyala, who has had a tiff with Athletics Kenya over his doping case, hopes that he will finally be allowed to represent the country.

Omanyala, who was banned for 14 months for a doping offence by the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (Adak) in 2017, took AK to the Sports Dispute Tribunal after he was barred from taking part in AK events in the country.

AK had indicated that any athlete being reprimanded for doping will never get to represent Kenya in any championship event, a move that the government strongly backed.

AK senior vice president Paul Mutwii, who is in charge of competitions said athletes coming from doping bans will compete in local and international events but won’t get selected for international assignments.

“Our decision still stands. They can compete in any other international events but not in Kenyan colours. We won’t select them for championship events at the moment,” said Mutwii.

With Omanyala blasting to perhaps the fastest time in the world this year, Otieno returned the second fastest time in 100m when he won the first heat in 10.32sec beating Tarzana Kamanga and Benson Okoth who timed 10.59 and 10.73 respectively.

National 400m record holder Hellen Syombua won her 400m third heat in 56.21 but it’s Gladys Musyoki, who chalked the fastest time over the one-lap race, winning the second heat in 54.53, beating Eglay Nalianya in 55.47.

World 800m bronze medallist Ferguson Rotich won 4000m sixth heat in 48.68 but its Zablon Ekwam, who ran the fastest time in men’s 400m of 46.88 when he won the fourth heat.

National 400m champion Mary Moraa brought an impressive 2:04.92 to win women’s 800m first heat as Commonwealth 800m champion Wycliffe Kinyamal men’s 800m seventh heat in 1:47.77 in an event where Jeremiah Mutai chalked the best time of 1:47.40.