At 26, Ferdinand Omanyala has beat the odds to become the 100m African record holder and the 8th fastest man of all time.
It hasn’t been an easy journey. The start of his career was blighted by a doping violation, but he went on to prove himself on his return to action and had a breakout year in 2021, shining at the Tokyo Olympics and breaking the Kenyan and African records by clocking 9.76 in Nairobi.
He signed a deal with Adidas as he prepared for his biggest season yet. Omanyala has set lofty ambitions for himself.
Speaking to reporters in South Africa, where he is competing in the ASA Athletics Grand Prix Series, Omanyala highlighted his goals for the year – which include a podium finish at the World Championships in Oregon, USA.
He has previously stated that his ultimate goal is to beat Usain Bolt’s world record. At the ASA Athletics Grand Prix Series in Johannesburg, where he’ll be running on Wednesday night, Omanyala is aiming for a sub 10.00 finish.
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“I am excited and want to put on a great show for the supporters. My goal is to run 9.96 or 9.95 depending on the weather on the day,” he stated.
He’ll notably be competing against South Africa’s Akani Simbine, whose African 100m record he broke. Omanyala, however, asserted that he was not too keen
“I’m not focusing too much on Akani, but I want to race against the clock and run a faster time. We have to push each other to run a fast time. I am going head-to-head against the former African record holder,” he stated.
The Grand Prix series is part of Omanyala’s preparation for the CAA African Senior Track and Field Championships (Mauritius) and the Commonwealth Games (Birmingham, England).
Last Wednesday, Omanyala clocked 10.11 seconds as he won the 100m during the 3rd leg of the ASA Athletics Grand Prix in Johannesburg.
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