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Dominating the tracks, he raced past competitors including the junior 100m world record holder, Botswana's Letsile Tebogo, as well as Jamaican speedsters Ackeem Blake and Yohan Blake.
Commonwealth Games champion Ferdinand Omanyala has his sights firmly set on the 100m gold at the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
Drawing an intriguing parallel, Omanyala likened the intensity and aggression of the 100m race to a boxing match, citing that both sports command enormous attention and are filled with heightened anticipation.
"The 100 metres is most popular because of its hype - I consider it like a boxing match," Omanyala shared with BBC Sport Africa.
"In a boxing match, there's a lot of hype around it, there's a lot of media and (the 100m race) is like nine seconds of aggression."
This passion and drive are what propelled the 27-year-old Kenyan to his maiden Diamond League victory in Monaco this past July.
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20:59 - 17.08.2023
ATHLETICS Where could the medals come from for Africa in Budapest
Of the 28 medals awarded to Africa, five nations stood out with at least one gold medal, with Uganda, Morocco, and Nigeria joining the aforementioned East African powerhouses.
Dominating the tracks, he raced past competitors including the junior 100m world record holder, Botswana's Letsile Tebogo, as well as Jamaican speedsters Ackeem Blake and Yohan Blake.
Having stamped his authority as Africa's fastest man with a record-breaking 9.77 seconds in 2021, Omanyala is no stranger to high stakes.
His gold-winning sprint of 10.02 seconds at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham is a testament to his mettle.
Following up with the second-fastest 100m time this year in Nairobi, the sprinter now has the World Championships podium in his crosshairs.
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20:57 - 16.08.2023
ATHLETICS 2023 World Athletics Champs: Top six athletes set for world titles in Budapest
The 2023 World Athletics Championships, slated for August 19-27, 2023, will bring together more than 2,000 athletes from 200 countries with the ultimate prize and history up for grabs.
Omanyala emphasized his aspirations, stating, "Africa has never medalled in this race and that's something I want to break.”
“I want to change that, so I want to win a medal - I want to win the gold." As one of the top contenders, he understands the weight of expectations. "I'm going for nothing less than a gold."
Facing such monumental expectations might unsettle many, but not Omanyala.
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20:58 - 16.08.2023
ATHLETICS Cheptegei confirms track running swansong
However, as the 2023 World Athletics Championships approach in Budapest, Cheptegei is hinting at closing a chapter of his illustrious career.
"The moment I get in the field, see the crowd and how the field looks and understand that this now is the reality of it, all my tension always just disappears," he explained.
For Omanyala, it's clear – every race is an opportunity. An opportunity to rewrite history, to make a mark, and to stand tall against all odds.
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