Sprinters Ferdinand Omanyala and Hesbon Ochieng almost brought down the roof at Nyayo National Stadium with world class performances during the third leg of Athletics Kenya Track and Fielding Meeting on Friday.
Despite being kept apart, world 800metres champion Mary Moraa and former world 800m champion Halimah Nakaayi were also in sublime form, easily winning their respective 400m and 800m races.
Omanyala’s 20.46 seconds (+0.4ms) to win the men’s 200metres first heat was basically the show-stopper, a time that is now the fourth fastest in the world this year.
Basically, the first heat in the men’s 200m that had 15 heats, had some of the best collection comprising the likes of former 100m and 200m champion Mike Mokamba and Samuel Chege from Kenya Defence Forces, Dan Kiviasi from Kenya Prisons and Uganda’s Emmanuel Aboda.
And it lived up to the billing to produce the first six top times to the semi-finals as Omanyala, the Commonwealth and Africa 100m champion, who opted to run in the half-lap race, edged out Chege and Ekwam to second place and third places in identical 20.75.
It was career best times for Chege and Ekwam as Aboda clocked in 20.77 for fourth followed by Mokamba (21.21) and Kiviasi (21.36).
“It is the first time though my target was 20.50 seconds. I will build on that and see if I will get to sub 20 at some point this year," said Omanyala, adding that he went into the race thinking about the fear he had for 200m.
“The last time I ran here I pulled my calf at the bend but I am glad I ran well and hope to double in 100m and 200m at the Paris Olympic Games,” said Omanyala, who, nevertheless, shifts gears to the indoor season starting next week in France.
“I have had the most incredible season for three months and this means that the endurance part of my training is coming out well having dropped three kilograms to 86kg,” explained Omanyala.
Ochieng from Prisons earlier ran a personal best 10.29, a time that is now ranked second best in the world.
Ochieng improved his previous time of 10.47 to win his heat as Justine Isaboke from KDF also chalked personal best 10.33 to win the ninth heat with the second fastest time alongside Uganda’s Emmanuel Aboda, who won the 10th heat in 10.30.
Former national 100m champion and record holder Mark Otieno made a return after two years with an impressive 10.41.
Moraa, the Commonwealth Games 800m champion, literally walked to the finish line, winning the 400m fifth heat in 53.00 seconds to sail through to Saturday’s final.
The national 400m record holder from Police edged out Gladys Jepkemboi from Nairobi in 54.80 as another Police athlete Maureen Thomas settled third in 55.05. Millicent Ndoro (Police) won the second heat in 54.02 beating Gladys Mumbe from Southern to second place in 56.97.
Joan Cherono clocked 56.68 to win the third heat while Mercy Chebet timed 56.06 to reign in the fourth heat.
“I just wanted to test my strength ahead of the final tomorrow where I should have all the pistons pumping,” said Moraa, who is targeting a personal best or national record with sub 51 seconds.
“I will be happy if I am to run 50.30 or 50.20,” said Moraa, who holds the national record of 50.38 in 400m.
Prisons’ duo of David Sanayek (46.68) 0and David Nathaniel Kipng’etich (46.88) and Central’s Kevin Kipkorir (46.84) won their respective 400m heats to sail through to the semi-finals of the men’s 400m.
Nakaayi, the 2019 world 800m champion, won her semi-final heat with the fastest time of the day in 2:02.52 and expressed her gratitude to compete in Kenya for the first time.
