'Oregon Here I Come': Omanyala granted visa for Worlds

African champion Ferdinand Omanyala is now in a race against time to arrive in Oregon for the World Athletics Championships after being granted a last-minute visa to travel on Thursday.

Nation Sport understands that Omanyala, the fastest man in Africa, is set to leave the country on Thursday at 6pm and will be hoping to arrive in Eugene, Oregon in time for Friday's 100m heats.

The men’s 100m preliminaries will be staged Friday from 12.30pm (time in Eugene), which will be 10.30pm Kenyan time. As one of the top ranked athletes in the 100m, Omanyala will not be subjected to the preliminaries.

The Kenyan is the third fastest man in the world this year. The semi-finals are due on the same day at 6.50pm, which will be Saturday 4.50am Kenyan time. It takes over 22 hours of travelling from Kenya to Oregon via Europe or the Middle East depending on the flight.

“Onto the next flight to Oregon. I am positive that I will compete.  Thanks so much for your support and prayers,” said Omanyala on his Twitter handle upon receiving his visa from the Ministry of Sports, who helped him secure the travel document.

Omanyala is due to take a Qatar Airlines flight at 6pm and is due in Portland at 10.30am local time, which is two and a half hours before the start of the 100m preliminaries.

However, Omanyala is lucky to have been given a bye to the heats by virtue of his world ranking this season hence he will have almost eight hours of rest on arrival before the heats.

Omanyala noted that visa challenges are faced by all Kenyans and people daily, and he is not an exemption.  

Omanyala thanked God, President Uhuru Kenyatta and Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Amina Mohamed for ensuring that he got the visa.

“I will also be competing in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, I am looking forward to making all Kenyans proud,” said Omanyala.

“We are very pleased to secure both USA and UK visas for all our athletes including our sensational athlete @Ferdiomanyala,” said the Ministry of Sports on its official Twitter handle. “Our athletes are now set for both the World Championships and Commonwealth Games!”

Omanyala, 26, the African 100m record holder, was among several athletes, coaches, physiotherapists and Athletics Kenya (AK) officials, who had not been issued with a US visa by Wednesday evening.

The only other athlete Sheila Chepkirui, who will compete in the 10,000m, has also been cleared alongside two of the team’s physiotherapists Jessica Shiraku and Japheth Kariakim.

They were scheduled to take the next flights at around midnight Thursday.   

The United States Embassy in Nairobi was also in the process of clearing Team Kenya manager Rono Bunei, Athletics Kenya (AK) president Jack Tuwei, AK deputy president Jinaro Kibet, AK chief administrative officer Susan Kamau, and AK treasurer David Miano.

Others are marathon coaches Amos Korir and Abraham Kiplimo.