Ferdinand Omanyala hits another sub-10 sec at Nyayo Stadium
Ferdinand Omanyala wins the first semi-final heat of the 100 metres races during the second leg of Athletics Kenya Track and Field Weekend Meeting on February 25, 2023 at Nyayo National Stadium.
What you need to know:
- Africa 20km race walk champion Samuel Gathimba easily won the men's 20km race walk, clocking 1:26:16, beating Dominic Ndigiti to second place in 1:30:28 as Stephen Ndangili settled third in 1:31:49.
African 100 metres record holder Ferdinand Omanyala powered his way to his second sub 10 seconds in less than 24 hours, winning his 100m semi-final in 9.95 seconds in the second Athletics Kenya Track and Field Weekend Meeting at the Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday.
Omanyala, who had on Friday cracked a world-lead on 9.86 seconds in the heats, beat South Africa’s Henrico Bruintjies to second place in the first semi-final in 10.35 as both qualified for the final showdown later in the day.
Africa 4x100m gold medallist Samuel Imeta from Kenya Defence Forces won the second heat in 10.29, beating Regau Simani to second place in 10.47 as they both booked a ticket to the final where Omanyala of Kenya Police and Bruintjies await.
Uganda’s Emmanuel Aboda won the third and last semi-final heat in 10.55, his compatriot Pius Adom was second in 10.68 to all make the final.
In other events, Emmanuel Korir Kiplagat from Central Rift clocked 32 minutes and 19.44 seconds to win the men's 10,000m first heat.
Korir and Maxon Kipng’etich of Nandi exchanged leads in the final lap of the 25-lap race before Korir's kick proved too strong.
Kipng’etich settled second in 28:21.14 as Jackson Kipleting from Southern came third in 28:38.91 in what was the fastest of the three heats in the 10,000m that had 100 athletes taking part.
“It was a good victory but the heat proved challenging. I want to thank my coach Jonathan Kitilit for good guidance,” said Korir, who has already hit the qualifying time in 10,000m for the World Athletics Championships slated for August 19 to 27 in Budapest, Hungary.
Korir, who finished 12th during the Sirikwa Classic Cross Country on February 4, won the Hachioji Long Distance Meeting in 27:07.59 in November last year in Japan to beat the qualifying time of 27:10.00 for Budapest.
“I want to polish my speed and endurance ahead of the trials for the World Championships,” said Korir.
Earlier on, Africa 20km race walk champion Samuel Gathimba easily won the men's 20km race walk, clocking 1:26:16, beating Dominic Ndigiti to second place in 1:30:28 as Stephen Ndangili settled third in 1:31:49.
