Omanyala targets Africa record after disappointment in Oregon
Africa 100 metres champion and record holder Ferdinard Omanyala goes through accreditation on Friday after he arrived in Birmingham where he looks forwards to put behind his Oregon tribulations at the Commonwealth Games and making Kenya proud again.
What you need to know:
- Seraphino Antao handed Kenya’s its maiden gold medals in the short sprints.
- However, the only Kenyan to have won a medal in the modern Commonwealth Games era is John Mwebi, who claimed silver at the 1974 Games.
in Birmingham
His goals are quite simple as he takes to the Alexander Stadium track: Break his own Africa record and win the Commonwealth Games title.
Africa 100 metres champion and record holder, Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, and his compatriot Samuel Imeta will be the first Kenyans to take to the track in the men’s 100 metres first round from 12.40pm (Kenyan time) Tuesday.
National 400m hurdles champion Wiseman Were and William Mbevi will feature in 400m hurdles heats where they will be seeking to give Kenya its second victory at the games, replicating Daniel Kimaiyo’s exploits in 1978.
Omanyala, who reached the semi-finals of the 100m at the recent World Athletics Championships in Oregon, United States, is focused.
“I have not changed by targets… I want to wrestle the title from Simbine again with a time of 9.7 seconds, God willing,” said Omanyala, who lived up to the billing to take the Africa 100m title away from Simbine during the continental event last month in Mauritius.
Omanyala edged out Simbine, who is also the Commonwealth Games 100m champion, in a photo-finish with the duo returning 9.93 seconds in the final held June 9 at Cote d'Or National Sports Complex.
Omanyala, who arrived late in Oregon after a visa hitch, finished third in his heat in 10.10 seconds, but sailed through to the semi-finals where he bowed in fifth in 10.14 seconds.
Simbine won his semi-final heat in 9.97 seconds to finish fifth in the final in 10.01 as American Fred Kerley reigned supreme in 9.86.
Omanyala cracked 9.85, beating Kerley to second place in 9.92 at the Kip Keino Classic on May 7 at Kasarani.
Last year, Omanyala set a new African Record when he clocked 9.77 sec to finish behind American Trayvon Bromell in 9.76 at the same meet. Simbine held the previous record of 9.84.
“I have had a good time acclimatizing before the races. I have recovered fully just from polishing my starts,” said Omanyala, 26, adding that he has enjoyed his stay in the US.
It’s after the country gained its independence that Kenyan athletes started winning medals beginning with the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.
Seraphino Antao handed Kenya’s its maiden gold medals in the short sprints.
However, the only Kenyan to have won a medal in the modern Commonwealth Games era is John Mwebi, who claimed silver at the 1974 Games.
