'Let's stop pointing fingers': Omanyala addresses visa saga
Ferdinand Omanyala of Team Kenya (centre) competes in the Men’s 100 metres heats on day one of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field on July 15, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon.
What you need to know:
- Omanyala, who looked fatigued having arrived late for his races after a Visa hitch, finished third in his heat in 10.10 sec on July 15 to, nevertheless, sail through to the semi-finals on July 16 where he bowed out, having settled fifth in 10.14 sec.
- Simbine eased through as one of the best losers when he clocked 10.07 sec to settle fourth in his heat.
Africa 100 metres champion Ferdinand Omanyala has put the World Athletics Championships disappointment as he heads to the Commonwealth Games.
Omanyala, who reached the semi-finals of the 100m at the ongoing World Athletics Championships in Oregon, United States, was due to leave Oregon on Thursday for the “Club” Games starting Thursday next week in Birmingham, United Kingdom.
“My target remains the same...to win gold with 9.7 seconds,“ declared Omanyala, who lived up to the billing to wrestle the Africa title from South Africa’s Akani Simbine during the continental event last month in Mauritius.
Omanyala edged out Simbine, who was also the Commonwealth Games 100m champion in a photo-finish with the duo returning 9.93 sec in the final held June 9 at Cote d'Or National Sports Complex.
Omanyala, who looked fatigued having arrived late for his races after a Visa hitch, finished third in his heat in 10.10 sec on July 15 to, nevertheless, sail through to the semi-finals on July 16 where he bowed out, having settled fifth in 10.14 sec.
Simbine eased through as one of the best losers when he clocked 10.07 sec to settle fourth in his heat.
But the South African was smoking hot when he won his semi-final heat in 9.97 sec on July 16 only to finish fifth in the final in 10.01 sec as American Fred Kerley, - whom Omanyala had beaten at the Kip Keino Classic - reigned supreme in 9.86 sec.
Omanyala cracked 9.85 sec, beating Kerley to second place in 9.92 sec at the Kip Keino Classic on May 7 at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
Last year, Omanyala set a new African Record when he clocked 9.77 sec to finish behind American Trayvon Bromell in 9.76 sec. Simbine held the previous record of 9.84 sec.
“Unlike the world event, I will have a good time to acclimatise before the races in Birmingham. I have recovered fully, I'm now polishing my starts,” said Omanyala, 26.
“It has been a great five days and no lie. I met different people and interacted with so many of them. This is the first time I got to stay after I only made a stopover in New York on my way to the 2017 World Relays in Bahamas,” said Omanyala.
Athletics programme starts on July 30 with both the men's and women’s marathon and will pave the way for track sessions from August 2 to 7. The men’s 100m will start with the heats on August 2 followed by the semis and finals the following day.
As Omanyala and some of his colleagues connect to Birmingham, the first batch of Team Kenya athletes fly out on Friday for the Games with the last team due out on Monday ready for the opening ceremony on Thursday.
Kenya will be represented by 127 athletes drawn from athletics, boxing, squash, hockey, badminton, cycling, swimming, 3-on-3 basketball, table tennis, triathlon, lawn bowls and para-cycling at the Birmingham Games.
