Kenya's top sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala has played down the ongoing debate over a proposed race between him and American YouTuber and streamer, IShowSpeed, that never took place, saying his focus now is on the European World Indoor Tour opener in Paris on Sunday.
Omanyala, who is Africa's 100m record holder, ended his training in Kenya on Thursday and flew out of Nairobi the same day for the French capital, where he will try to recapture the Meeting de Paris 60m title at AccorHotels Arena de Bercy.
Omanyala left for Europe with an online debate raging over his refusal to run against IShowSpeed, whose real name is Darren Jason Watkins Jr, when the Ohio native toured Kenya from January 13 to 16, this year.
Omanyala, who has a personal best time of 9.77 seconds in 100m, 6.51 seconds in 60m indoor and 14.70 seconds at 150m, said that he is already an international brand that doesn’t need to be paid from streaming and likes on social media courtesy of IShowSpeed.
Kenya's Ferdinand Omanyala reacts after completing a men's 100m race the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on September 13, 2025.
Photo credit: Reuters
The Kenyan speedster had been approached to race against IShowSpeed. Omanyala reportedly asked for Sh6.4 million payment to cover any injury that he may have sustained during the exhibition race.
Omanyala’s refusal to race the famous streamer drew mixed reactions from Kenyans on social media, with some praising him for his professional stand while others called him out for spurning an opportunity to boost his brand.
“Omanyala is already the brand I have built to become what it is right now. It’s so big that any appearance or anything I do is earned. Everybody will be keen to know what I am doing anytime I get into the news,” said Omanyala
The Commonwealth Games champion spoke at Crawford International School, Nairobi, on Monday, where he joined the school assembly with a word of inspiration to upcoming sprinters.
“I want to teach one thing today. Once you get to a level where you are doing your job, nobody should come and start doing pranks on you. You are doing what you do because you earned that space,” Omanyala told the students.
American YouTuber Darren Jason Watkins Jr alias iShowSpeed is received by his fans at KICC in Nairobi on January 11, 2026 as part of his “Speed Does Africa” tour.
Photo credit: Evans Habil | Nation Media Group
He then talked about the IShowSpeed issue: “Imagine putting in seven hours of training every day for months, 44 weeks in a year, then someone comes and wants to race and pay me with streams and likes. Is it fair?” he posed.
Omanyala said it would be difficult to explain to his sponsors and management why he raced in some exhibition races if he got injured.
“For many it's entertainment, but for me it’s an input, hence I need serious preparations for three days,” he said.
History-making Julius Yego, the 2015 world javelin champion, took IshowSpeed through some javelin lessons at the Upper Hill School, Nairobi, during his Africa tour. The American tourist made several throws to the delight of his fans who included Upper Hill School students.
American Noah Lyles, fresh from winning the 2024 Paris Olympics 100m gold, beat IshowSpeed in a 50m race on November 6, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. Lyles won a cash prize of $100,000 that was at stake in the race and pledged to give it to charity.
Meanwhile, Omanyala has said he intends to break the national record of 6.51 seconds, which he set when he won the Meeting de Paris 60m title in 2024, as he resumes his indoor tour after a one-year break.
“I am in better shape than I was back in 2023 and 2024, and I hope to start the season strongly with good times,” said Omanyala, adding that he will be looking for speed after working on his strength and endurance.
Omanyala will also seek to reclaim the Elite Indoor Track Miramas Meeting 60m crown on January 30 at Stadium Miramas Métropole, Miramas, France. He triumphed at the venue in 2024 in a time of 6.52.
He will then shift to the Russian capital, Moscow, for the first time for the Indoor Meeting on February 7 before moving to Serbia for the Belgrade Indoor Meeting at Atletska dvorana Beograd on February 11.
Omanyala hopes to make his third appearance at the World Athletics Indoor Championships scheduled for March 20-22 at the Kujawsko-Pomorska Arena, Toruń, Poland and later defend his 100m Commonwealth Games title in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2.
