Ferdinand Omanyala opens his Olympic campaign on Saturday, this time around with much-needed confidence since he is the second-fastest man in the world this year.
Ferdinand Omanyala will step foot on the purple track for his first race on Saturday, August 3 for the men’s 100m first round at the Paris Olympics.
He will have his work cut out since everyone on that starting line will be looking for a slot in the semifinal. Kenya’s hopes rest on him to reach the final of the event and if all goes well, also get a medal from the Olympics.
Omanyala has the experience of racing on global stages after competing at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, 2022 and 2023 World Championships and also racing at the Commonwealth Games.
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At the 2023 World Championships, Omanyala finished seventh in the final but in his previous championships, the Tokyo Olympics and 2022 World Champions, he never made it to the final.
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As he gears up for the grueling task, Omanyala has a morale booster, being the second fastest man in the world this season. He has been impressive in his races and improved a lot in race execution and will certainly be lethal on the Olympic stage.
However, the field is not a walk in the park, having attracted the greatest sprinters in the world. Round one might not be a tough one for Omanyala, but the subsequent races will certainly prove to be tough.
Three-time world 200m champion Noah Lyles will be going for his first Olympic gold medal, having been impressive so far this season. Lyles is not the finest 100m runner but he always gets the job done when needed to.
Another athlete to watch will be defending champion Marcell Jacobs who has raced sparingly this season and gauging his form is a bit of a hard nut to crack. Jacobs has suffered a series of injuries after his victory in Tokyo but this season, he has proved to be in the form of his life.
The duo of Letsile Tebogo and Akani Simbine join Omanyala in th quest for glory at the Paris Olympics, also hunting for their individual medals and for them, every race matters.
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The Jamaican trio of Oblique Seville, Kishane Thompson and Ackeem Blake will also be in the mix for top honours, looking to reclaim Usain Bolt’s Olympic title. Thompson is the world leader and being in the fittest form of his life, he will be lethal. Seville and Blake also look to make a name for themselves on the Olympic stage.