Ferdinand Omanyala, the fastest man in Africa, showcased his outstanding sprinting abilities at the Joskolauf meeting in Andorf, Austria, finishing second with a time of 10.07 seconds. Omanyala dominated the earlier heats with the quickest times, including a victory over Eugene Amo-Dadzie, who recorded 10.16 seconds.
In the final, Omanyala faced tough competition from a British sprinter who secured a blistering time of 10.04 seconds, surpassing the African champion. Despite this, Omanyala remains in excellent form, having achieved a sub-10 time earlier in the same event with clockings of 9.96 seconds and 9.86 seconds in 2021.
With the World Athletics Championships in Budapest just around the corner, Omanyala’s performance in Andorf serves as his final competitive race before the prestigious event. He now heads to Team Kenya’s training camp in Miramas to prepare for the championship.
Recently, Omanyala achieved a significant milestone by winning his first Diamond League race at the Monaco meet on July 21, where he outmuscled former World U20 record-holder, Letsile Tebogo. This victory has earned him a spot in the Diamond League finals in Oregon in September.
In Budapest, Omanyala will be a strong contender for a podium finish as he aims to become the first African to win a medal in the 100-meter race at the championships. However, he will face formidable opponents, including the reigning champion Fred Kerley, world 200m Champion Noah Lyles, and South Africa’s Akani Simbine.
Notably, Omanyala currently holds the title of the fastest man on the African continent, with an impressive time of 9.77 seconds, as recognized by World Athletics. Additionally, he is the proud holder of the African and Commonwealth Champion titles, further solidifying his position as one of the most prominent athletes in the world of sprinting.