Omanyala, Moraa to grace World relay championship trials

Commonwealth Games champions Ferdinand Omanyala (100m) and Mary Moraa (800m) will grace the national trials for the World Athletics Relay Championships scheduled for Saturday at the Nyayo National Stadium. 

Omanyala will take the blocks in 200m and the 4x100m relay while Moraa, the 400m national record holder, who is fresh from winning the African Games 400m title, will compete in 4x400m mixed relays. 

The World Athletics Relay Championships are scheduled for May 4 to 5 this year in Nassau, Bahamas. 

"We will be taking part in Bahamas relays and that presents a good chance to qualify Kenya to the Olympics in the 4x100m," said Omanyala’s coach Geoffrey Kimani. 

Omanyala had earlier hinted on doubling up in 100m and 200m at the Paris Olympic Games programmed from July 26 to August 11 in the French capital. 

Omanyala has competed in one 200m race this season when he won his heat in 20.46 seconds during the Third Athletics Kenya Track and Field Meeting at the Nyayo National Stadium in January.

If successful, it will be the second time Omanyala, 28, is making it to the World relays after the 2017 event where he was in the 4x200m team.

His team of Mike Mokamba, Mark Otieno and Peter Ndichu reached the final to finish seventh overall. 

"It will be seven years to what was like a dream to me," said Omanyala.

"I am ready in any way to help Kenya qualify for the Paris Olympics in mixed relay either through the world ranking or by reaching the finals in Bahamas," said Moraa, the World 800m champion. 

Moraa could partner with her training mate Maureen Thomas and the best two finishers in men's 400m that will have several events in the morning session. 

The most likely candidates are Boniface Mweresa, Zablon Ekwam, David Sanayek, Wiseman Were and Brian Tinega among others. 

Moraa,23, has done seven 400m races this season that includes her season's best 50.57 when winning the African Games gold on March 20. 

She also represented Kenya in the 4x400m mixed relays at the African Games where they claimed bronze. 

Athletics Kenya wants to kill two birds with a stone at the national trials as they seek to qualify the men's 4x100m and 4x400m mixed relay to the Olympics either through a superior world ranking or by reaching the final at the World relays. 

Countries that finish in top 16 after the qualifying period and those reaching the final at the World relays will automatically qualify for the Paris Olympics. 

Kenya will be aiming to improve on the world ranking in the 4x400m mixed relay with the aim of qualifying for the Paris Olympic Games. 

Kenya has dropped from the top 16 ranking in the Road to Olympics with its time of 3:14.64 set June, last year during the Kenya National Championship and the country is now ranked 19th. 

Kenya is ranked 26th in men's 4x100m with a time of 38.82 from the nationals in June last year. 

The top 30 ranked countries in 4x100m by the qualifying deadline of Sunday midnight will qualify to Bahamas. 

Among athletes invited for the 100m and 200m races are former 100m national record holders Mike Mokamba and Mark Otieno. 

On card during the trials that have attracted a team from Uganda are the 4x400m and 4x100m men and women relays that will run from 12pm on Saturday with the 4x400m mixed relays in between. 

However, AK director in charge of competitions, Paul Mutwii said that the program will start with individual races in 400m, 200m and 100m from 9am before taking a break for the afternoon session. 

"We shall pick the first four athletes in the morning events for the relays in the afternoon," said Mutwii, adding that they intend to pick strong teams capable of reaching the finals of their respective events. 

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