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The American sprint icon has jumped to Omanyala's defence amidst claims he only runs fast while in Kenya.
Former American sprinter Justin Gatlin has jumped to the defense of Ferdinand Omanyala amidst criticism that the Kenyan sprinter only records fast times in his home country.
Omanyala, who shattered the African record at the 2021 Kip Keino Classic by clocking an impressive 9.77 seconds to finish second, has been under scrutiny despite his remarkable performances.
This season, Africa’s fastest man set a world-leading time of 9.79 seconds at the Kenyan Olympic trials held at the Nyayo National Stadium.
However, his world lead was recently surpassed by Kishane Thompson, who clocked a stunning 9.77 seconds to win the Jamaican trials in Kingston. Following this, netizens claimed that Omanyala only runs fast times in Kenya.
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09:00 - 28.07.2024
Ferdinand Omanyala responds to critics over claims he only records fast times in Kenya
Ferdinand Omanyala has responded to people questioning why he only runs fast times in Kenya.
In response, the 28-year-old sprinter defended himself, drawing comparisons to how Jamaican athletes, including Thompson, also tend to record their fastest times on home soil.
Gatlin, speaking on his Ready Set Go podcast alongside Maurice Greene, highlighted the areas where Omanyala has shown improvement and offered insights on how he can continue to get stronger and silence his critics.
“Listen, everyone has their challenges. If he can do it there, then he has to work on doing it in the Championships outside the continent of Africa. Once he does that, he has got it,” Gatlin said.
“I talk to him here and there and I tell him what I see. His starts are getting a little better,” Gatlin added. “His transition was a little soft in previous races. You look at that Championship run, he is starting to put it together. He even said it after that, ‘I have my time, I just have to strike it at the right moment.’”
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07:37 - 10.05.2024
American sprint great gives hilarious account on how Ferdinand Omanyala 'forced' him to retire
Gatlin has given a hilarious story on how Ferdinand Omanyala made him end his 20-year career.
Gatlin emphasized the importance of seizing the moment, a mindset increasingly adopted by top athletes. “You have a lot of athletes who understand they have to seize the moment now unlike just going out there to run,” he stated.
In conclusion, Gatlin noted that improving his starts will be crucial for Omanyala moving forward. “It will be a tall order for him to run guys down. 9.8s do not run 9.7s down and so on and so forth. If he works on his start from next season, he will be in a better position,” he concluded.
Omanyala’s journey continues to inspire many, and with the support and guidance from legends like Gatlin, he remains focused on proving his critics wrong and excelling on the global stage.
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