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Ferdinand Omanyala has not enjoyed the greatest of seasons in 2024, but the sprint sensation remains optmistic of better performance in future.
Africa's fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala is looking forward to the new season after his exploits on the track this year.
Omanyala has not enjoyed the greatest of seasons in 2024, failing to impress when it mattered the most, at the Paris Olympic Games. He went in as a favourite to reach the final and hopefully finish in the podium bracket but exited the stage after an eighth-place finish in the semifinal of the men’s 100m.
The National Police Service athlete clocked 10.08 seconds to cross the finish line in the race. Despite his failure not to make the finals, he remains the only Kenyan Sprinter to reach the semifinals in an Olympic event.
Reflecting on his season, Ferdinand Omanyala, who partners with car manufacturing company Toyota, shared a tweet on his X (Twitter) handle, noting that he will not be pulled back by the failures but he will keep on pushing on with the spirit of a champion.
"Every challenge, every record broken, it part of the journey. Just as the Hilux conquers the unexpected, I push past limits on the track, fuelled by the spirit of champions," Omanyala said.
The dismal Paris Olympic games performances, however, do not define the 28-year-old, who bagged a series of wins and ended the season as the second-fastest man in the world behind Jamaica's Kishane Thompson. He beat Noah Lyles and Fred Kerley who came in third and fourth respectively.
Among his notable wins, Omanyala clocked 9.79 seconds, the second-fastest time in his career to win the Kenyan Olympic trials. Prior to that, he had finished second and third at the Prefontaine Classic and Racers Grand Prix respectively.
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Omanyala also claimed top honours at the FBK Games in Hengelo, a few weeks before the Paris Olympic Games. Despite missing qualification for the prestigious Diamond League Meeting final in Brussels, he was allowed to race in the men’s 100m invitational where he won, ending his season on a high note.
Next season brings about another chance for the Kenyan sprint sensation to make an impact on the global stage with the 2025 World Championships the main event.
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