Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, is keen to rediscover his old form that saw him register many sub-10-second times in men’s 100 metres in the new season, as he eyes defence of his Commonwealth Games title.
Omanyala, 29, will start his season by competing in the Word Athletics Indoor Tour in Europe in January.
The 2026 World Athletics Indoor Tour will take place from December 13 this year, to March 12 next year and will feature a packed calendar of almost 80 meetings around the world, across all levels.
Omanyala also plans to compete in at least five Diamond League races, and at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest from September 11 to 13, 2026.
“The 2026 season is one in which I just want to enjoy running without any pressure,” Omanyala, who entered his eighth week of training yesterday with his coach Duncan Ayiemba at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, said.
“I want to rediscover the groove and the rhythm I had back in 2023 when I ran 12 sub-10-second 100m races,” explained Omanyala.
The highlight of Omanyala’s performance under coach Ayiemba was when he broke the African record, posting a new time of 9.77 seconds as he finished second in 2021 Kip Keino Classic, losing the battle to American Trayvon Bromell in 9.76. Omanyala then competed at the 2020 Olympic Games held in 2021 in Tokyo, becoming the first Kenyan sprinter to reach 100m semis.
Ferdinard Omanyala celebrates after winning the 100m final during the Olympics Trials on June 15, 2024 at Nyayo National Stadium.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
Omanyala, then the seventh all-time fastest man in 100m, went on to win the Africa 100m and 4x100m title as well as Commonwealth Games 100m title in 2022.
Under coach Ayiemba, Omanyala reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon, USA.
“I just want to take the blocks next season with a mission to enjoy every step of the short distance rather worry because I know my work rate is good… I am on a good trajectory,” Omanyala, who has persona best of 9.77 seconds in 100m, 6.51 in 60m (indoor) and 14.70 over 150m, said.
Omanyala, who is back with coach Ayiemba after two seasons of separation, targets sub-9.9sec in 2026 in an ambitious three-year plan tailored to culminate in a medal at the 2027 World Athletics Championships, and at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
This year, Omanyala failed to run a sub-10-second time in a season in which he reached the semi-final of men’s 100m at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in September in Tokyo.
Omanyala withdrew from the men’s 100m Diamond League final Zurich, Switzerland in August owing to a nagging pain on his hip, and in the pelvic region.
Omanyala skipped the Word Athletics Indoor Tour early this year, but is set to return to the competition in January next year. In the World Athletics Indoor Tour, Omanyala will seek to recapture the Meeting de Paris 60m title he won last year when he competes in the event on January 25 next year at AccorHotels Arena de Bercy. He won the competition last year in a new national record of 6.51.
He will also seek to reclaim the Elite Indoor Track Miramas Meeting 60m crown on January 30 at Stadium Miramas Métropole, Miramas, France. He won the race last year in 6.52.
The Indoor season will take Omanyala to Moscow on February 7, followed by a trip to Serbia for Belgrade Indoor Meeting on February 11 at Atletska dvorana. Omanyala will then compete in the World Athletics Indoor Championships from March 20-22 at the Kujawsko-Pomorska Arena in Toruń, Poland.
“The organisers have scaled down the qualifying time from 6.55 to 6.59, which is achievable,” Omanyala said.
Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya competes in the 100m during the Absa Kip Keino Classic on May 31, 2025, at Ulinzi Sports Complex.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
He will then seek to defend his 100m title at the 2026 Commonwealth Games from July 23 to August 2 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Omanyala made history as the first Kenyan to win the “Club” Games 100m gold medal, beating defending champion Akani Simbine from South Africa during the 2022 Games in Birmingham, England. Omanyala clocked 10.02 against Simbine;’s 10.13.
The inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship is due from September 11-13 next year in Budapest, and Omanyala intends to compete in the championships. The inaugural edition of the three-day event will have a prize fund of Sh1.3 billion (US$ 10 million), with winners receiving US$ 150,000 (Sh19.5), by far the largest prize money in the sport.
Omanyala has started his pre-season training regime at Kasarani Stadium alongside sprinters Isaac Omurwa, Samuel Chege and Steve Onyango, and he is on the eighth week of training.
“I am getting back to fitness. I took a break after suffering injury. We lost a bit of endurance and strength so we had to resume early and build on that,” said Omanyala.
