Omanyala to Jacobs: Enjoy Kenya's wildlife, forget Kip Keino Classic title

Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala has said his showdown with Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs from Italy and Olympic 200m silver medalist, American Fred Kerley at the Kip Keino Classic could produce historic moments.

“This will be a big one and a cracker. I welcome the Olympic champion to Kenya and Kerley. I didn’t have goosebumps but the entry of Jacobs has elicited some,” said Omanyala, who dared Jacobs to the battle. “I wholeheartedly welcome Jacobs to come and watch our beautiful Big Five at Nairobi National Park but not beat me at home. I won’t allow that!”

“This one might produce another sub 10 seconds but I am at home and I must make sure the visitors feel my strong presence in the race,” explained Omanyala, predicting that the organisers might place three of them at the middle lanes.

It will be the second time Omanyala will be facing Jacobs after the World Athletics Indoor Tour leg of the Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais on February 17 this year in Levin, France.

Jacobs won the 60m race in 6.50 seconds with Omanyala settling fourth in 6.57.

Jacobs welcomed his maiden trip to Kenya on his social media forums. “World tour is starting, let’s go! My 100 meters debut in Nairobi, Kenya,” said the 27-year-old Jacobs.

Jacobs has not competed since winning the world indoor 60m title in a European record time of 6.41 seconds in Serbia on March 19, this year.

Meeting director Barnaba Korir disclosed Sunday that the record-breaking Olympic champion signed for the event on Saturday night.

Born in Texas on September 26, 1994, to an Italian mother, Jacobs succeeded Usain Bolt as the ‘World’s Fastest Man’.

Few would have considered Italy’s Jacobs to succeed Bolt but the Italian upset the odds to scorch to victory in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Stadium, winning in a new European record of 9.80 seconds.

Jacobs, who is also a long jumper, was also a member of the Italian gold medal-winning 4×100 m relay team at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Jacobs currently holds the 100m European record, the 60m European record, and is the first Italian to ever qualify for and win the men’s 100m Olympic final.

More so, Jacobs made history as the first 100m Olympic champion since 1996 to win gold without a recent top 200m mark.

Korir, who was addressing a press conference accompanied by the meet organiser, Mike Rabar, declared the men’s 100m a full house, adding that the race will for the first time have nine lanes instead of eight.

Besides Omanyala, Jacobs and Kerley, the men’s race has attracted Americans Mike Rogers, who won the gold medal in the 100m relay in Doha 2019 World Athletics Championships and Isaiah Young.

Others in the race are South Africans Gift Leotlela, the 4x100m gold medallist from 2021 World Relay Championships and 2021 World Athletics Under-20 Championships 200m bronze medallist  Sinesipho Dambile.

“We are proud to attract rich fields not only in 100m but also other events. That is why we want Kenyans to turn out in numbers to witness Kenya athletes take on some of the world’s finest,” said Korir.

Korir said the women’s 100m has two-time Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce from Jamaican, Tokyo Olympic 200m silver medallist Christine Mboma of Namibia and American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson among others.