Ferdinand Omanyala fixing World Championships woes ahead of Olympics

ATHLETICS Ferdinand Omanyala fixing World Championships woes ahead of Olympics

Abigael Wafula 13:08 - 17.10.2023

Ferdinand Omanyala failed to make an impact at the World Championships and he has remained vague on what really happened on the global stage.

Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala went into the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary with the hope of making history but unfortunately failed to leave a mark.

Omanyala looked composed in the Heats and Semifinal but he faltered in the final. In the Heats, he finished second behind triple World champion Noah Lyles to proceed to the semifinal.

He qualified as the fastest loser in the semifinal after finishing third in 10.01. He proceeded to the final where he faded to finish seventh in 10.07.

The race was won by Lyles as Letsile Tebogo finished second, making history as the first African to win a medal at the 100m event. Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes completed the podium.

However, the Commonwealth Games champion has remained vague on what really happened during the global showpiece.

“Team Omanyala knows what happened but I won’t disclose much about it but we are sure that will not happen at the Olympic Games.

"I know there is a reason that happened since there are no coincidences in my life. In the Heats and Semifinals, I was a totally different person, and many people have acknowledged that. However, we are fixing that,” Omanyala told Citizen.

After the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, he competed in a couple of races and ended his season at the Prefontaine Classic with a third-place finish behind Christian Coleman and Lyles.

He is now gearing up for the Olympic Games in Paris, France where he intends to win a medal for Kenya. If he does, he will yet again make history to become the first Kenyan to win a medal on the global stage in the sprints.

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