Ferdinand Omanyala has his work cut out in Oregon

That Ferdinand Omanyala is enjoying the form of his life is beyond doubt.

On June 9, the Africa 100m record holder pipped defending champion Akani Simbine to the continental title in Reduit, Mauritius to bag his first championship gold medal. It was a photo finish that decided that neck-and-neck battle between two of Africa’s finest sprinters with Omanyala winning in 9.93 seconds.

Last week, Omanyala finished first in the 100m final during the Kenyan trials for the World Championships/Commonwealth Games barely breaking any sweat as he timed 10:03 seconds.

But as Omanyala strolled to victory in the Kenyan trials, the US trials saw two world lead times in a span of two days courtesy of one Fred Kerley. It’s not lost on anyone that it’s Kerley who pushed Omanyala to a world lead of 9.85sec during the Kip Keino Classic last month.

Olympic 100m silver medallist Kerley finished second at Kasarani in 9.92 seconds.

However, last Thursday Kerley exploded to a world lead of 9.83 in the 100m heats during the US trials before posting a Personal Best and World Lead of 9.76 in the semi-finals of the same event a day later.

He ended his brilliant display at the US trials by winning the final in 9.77 to book a place at the World Championships team alongside Marvin Bracy-Williams (9.85) and Trayvon Bromell (9.88).

Kerley’s PB ranks as the sixth fastest in history and third fastest American all-time.

Considered as one of the fastest sprinters on earth, Kerley is one of three men - alongside South African Wayde van Niekerk and American Michael Norman - ever to run a sub-10 second in the 100m, sub-20 second in the 200m and sub-44 second in the 400m in their career.

Omanyala will however be encouraged by his PB of 9.77 seconds achieved last year when he finished second behind Bromell at the Kip Keino Classic.

The biggest worry for Omanyala and the entire 100m field at the World Championships is that Kerley clocked his PB of 9.76 seconds despite having a fairly poor start. The Americans, who also have defending champion Christian Coleman in their 100m team, will enjoy home advantage by running on the same Oregon track during the World Championships.

Add the Jamaican cast of former world champion Yohan Blake, Oblique Seville and Ackeem Blake and the 100m showdown will be one of the most exciting races to watch in Oregon. Canada’s Andre de Grasse and Olympic champion Lamont Jacobs could make it all the more exciting.

Omanyala will arrive in Oregon as African champion and the weight of expectation will certainly be bigger this time around. He has remained adamant that he will be going for a podium finish at the World Championships but this is not child’s play. Numbers don’t lie.