Africa’s fastest man will get a chance to avenge his Olympics heartbreak when he takes on his Jamaican and American rivals that made his life difficult at the Paris Games.
Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala will come up against familiar rivals at the Silesia Diamond League in Poland on August 25.
Omanyala will face Olympics silver medallist Kishane Thompson, bronze medallist Fred Kerley as well as former Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs in the race which also has Jamaican Ackeem Blake and American former world champion Christian Coleman.
It is a star-studded field which will give Omanyala a chance to right the wrongs of the Paris Olympics when he failed to make it to the final.
23:14 - 17.08.2024
Omanyala dips sub-10 to send warning to Kishane Thompson & Co after Paris setback
Ferdinand Omanyala rebounds at the Josko Lauf Meeting signaling a strong return and challenging top sprinters Lyles and Thompson.
Omanyala had a disappointing outing in Paris as he finished eighth in his semi-final heat after clocking 10.08 seconds but bounced back in spectacular fashion at the Josko Lauf Meeting in Austria, on Saturday, dipping under 10 seconds to record an an impressive 9.95 seconds in the heats.
His critics have, however, claimed he only wins races that ‘do not matter’ and he has a chance to shut them up in Silesia, given the strong field.
The Kenyan went into the Olympics with the world’s fastest time of 9.79 but it counted for nothing as he missed out on the final which was won by American Noah Lyles, edging out Thompson by fine margins, after both clocked 9.79, as Kerley bagged bronze in 9.81.
Besides Omanyala, Coleman will also be out to make amends after missing out on the 100m at the Olympics, while Jacobs and Blake also search redemption following disappointing Olympics outings.