Omanyala: I’ll be back, it was just another bad day in office
Ferdinand Omanyala reacts after the 100m final in Budapest, Hungary on August 21, 2023.
What you need to know:
- At the same time, Omanyala has said his body failed him in the final of men’s 100m race at the 2023 World Athletics Championships on Sunday at the National Athletics Centre here in Budapest.
- The African record holder over 100m also refused to blame his seventh-place finish on the weather in Budapest, saying it was just a bad day in office for him.
In Budapest. Hungary
Commonwealth Games 100 metres champion Ferdinand Omanyala has declared that his dream of winning a medal at the world championships is not over yet.
At the same time, Omanyala has said his body failed him in the final of men’s 100m race at the 2023 World Athletics Championships on Sunday at the National Athletics Centre here in Budapest.
The African record holder over 100m also refused to blame his seventh-place finish on the weather in Budapest, saying it was just a bad day in office for him.
“My body failed me. In the final, I was not moving the way I was moving yesterday. I knew today would be easy, but I don’t know what happened,” Omanyala, whose chances of claiming a first medal for Kenya in men’s 100m at the world championships went up in smoke on Sunday after he finished seventh in the final.
Chased pack in vain
Omanyala got off to a slow start in the tension-packed final inside the packed National Athletics Centre, and chased the pack in vain as he clocked 10.07 seconds to finish seventh. Nevertheless, the Africa 100m champion and record holder made history by becoming the first Kenyan to reach the men’s 100m final at the world championships.
America’s world 200m champion, Noah Lyles, won the race in a world leading time of 9.83sec, relegating world Under-20 100m champion and record holder Letsile Tebogo from Botswana to second place in a national record time of 9.88.
Tebogo effectively became the first African to win a medal in the men’s 100m at the World Athletics Championships. Briton Zharnel Hughes timed 9.98sec to claim a surprise bronze medal, as 2019 world 100m champion, Christian Coleman from USA, fell further behind to fifth in 9.92 seconds.
In his semi-final heat, Omanyala ran 10.01 seconds to finish third behind Lyles (9.87) and Japanese Sani Brown (9.97). The top two athletes from the three semi-final heats qualified for the final, but the African record holder sailed through as the best third-placed runner from the heats.
Afterwards, Omanyala declared that his dream of winning a medal at the world championships is far from over.
“My dream of getting a medal at the world championships is not dead. The dream is on. I thank my fans for their unwavering support. I urge them not to be disappointed because everything happens for a reason. We will return stronger,” Omanyala said.
He recounted the anxious moments he went through inside the athletes’ recovery room as he waited a confirmation of his place in the final.
“That was a tough moment. I felt anxious and asked myself so many questions, but I thank God I made it to the final,” the African champion said.
He picked positives from the race.
“I am glad that I reached the final of the 100m race for the first time, and without an injury. We will plan our next course of action from here, and decide which races to compete in,” he said.
