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Noah Lyles and Fred Kerley are among those who have trolled Kenya's Ferdinand Omanyala after losing the Kip Keino Classic to Bednarek.
American sprint stars Noah Lyles and Fred Kerley could not resist poking fun at Ferdinand Omanyala following his fifth-place finish in the 100m at the 2024 Absa Kip Keino Classic, where Kenny Bednarek emerged victorious.
Omanyala, who finished with a time of 10.0 seconds, 0.09 seconds behind Bednarek's winning time of 9.91 seconds, had previously expressed confidence in his ability to dominate on his home turf.
"No one should come to my territory and beat me, that one is a No," Omanyala confidently declared before the event. "In Africa, we really take charge of our lands."
However, Bednarek had a witty response to Omanyala's statement, taking to his social media account to playfully claim ownership of land in Kenya following his impressive performance at Nyayo Stadium.
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18:34 - 20.04.2024
American Kenneth Bednarek stuns Ferdinand Omanyala on home soil to claim Kip Keino Classic 100m victory
Omanyala had to settle for fifth place while Bednarek, who was on form heading into this event, finished first in a race overshadowed by the rainy conditions at Nyayo.
"I just bought land in Kenya," Bednarek cheekily tweeted while attaching a video of Omanyala referencing his territorial claim.
Kerley joined in on the banter, posting three skull emojis in response to Bednarek's tweet, indicating his amusement at the playful exchange.
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13:42 - 19.04.2024
Ferdinand Omanyala opens up on difficult period he worked as a metal handyman to make ends meet
Omanyala once fended for his young family on just USD 7 (ksh 700) a day in 2017 after suffering a 14-month-long injury.
Noah Lyles, the reigning 100m and 200m World Champion, also chimed in with a light-hearted response, sharing a laughing emoji accompanied by the caption "and I oop."
The playful trolling from Lyles and Kerley adds a fun and entertaining element to the competitive world of athletics, showcasing the camaraderie and humor shared among elite athletes despite the intense competition on the track.
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15:54 - 18.04.2024
Africa's fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala reveals his true sporting love, and its not athletics
Omanyala has admitted he initially got into athletics to help him make ends meet, but revealed the sport he truly has an affinity for.
As athletes continue to interact and engage with each other and their fans on social media, these light-hearted exchanges provide fans with entertaining insights into the personalities and relationships within the track and field community.
It remains to be seen how Omanyala will react to the dismal showing in Nairobi, with the World Relays in the Bahamas the next challenge on Saturday 4, and Sunday 5 May, where he will line up against Lyles and Bednarek himself.
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09:52 - 20.04.2024
Letsile Tebogo discusses comparisons to American sensation Noah Lyles, explains why he is labled a 'school boy'
The 20-year-old has strongly been compared to Noah Lyles since clinching silver at the World Athletics championships in Budapest in 2023.
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