Omanyala storms world indoors semi-finals
Ferdinand Omanyala competes in 400m during the 2nd Athletics Kenya Meeting at Ulinzi Sports Complex on January 5, 2024.
What you need to know:
- Omanyala, the national record holder, was the first to blast off the blocks in the fourth heat of the 60 metres race, eased off midway before winning in 6.52 seconds, and sail through to the semi-finals
- World record holder and 2018 champion, Christian Coleman from the United States of America, won the sixth heat with the fastest qualifying time of 6.49
- Omanyala will take the third lane in the third and last semi-final heat where the first two athletes in each of the three heats and the next two fastest advance to the final
Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala meant business as the World Indoor Championships got underway Friday at the Commonwealth Arena in Glasgow, Scotland.
Omanyala, the national record holder, was the first to blast off the blocks in the fourth heat of the 60 metres race, eased off midway before winning in 6.52 seconds, and sail through to the semi-finals.
Omanyala, 28, who posted the second fastest time, edged out Japanese Shuhei Tada to second place in a national record time of 6.52 as Marc Brian Louis from Singapore also clocked a national record of 6.69 for third place.
Louis, who ran the third fastest qualifying time, also made it through to the semis.
World record holder and 2018 champion, Christian Coleman from the United States of America, won the sixth heat with the fastest qualifying time of 6.49 as Emmanuel Eseme from Cameroon clocked the fourth fastest time of 6.54 to win the fifth heat in a National Record time.
The semi-finals are scheduled for 10.45pm on Friday with finals slated at 12.45am on Saturday.
Omanyala will take the third lane in the third and last semi-final heat where the first two athletes in each of the three heats and the next two fastest advance to the final.
Omanyala reached the semi-finals during the previous 2022 championships in Belgrade, Serbia.
Kenya’s Vivian Chebet was the only other athlete to qualify for the semi-finals in the women’s 800m as compatriot Naomi Korir and the other trio in men’s 800m Collins Kipruto and Noah Kibet fell on the way.
Chebet timed personal best 2:00.86 to finish third in the first heat and sailed through as one of the fastest qualifiers. She lost the battle to Ethiopian Habitam Alemu and Natoya Goule-Toppin from Jamaican in 2:00.50 and 2:00.83 respectively.
Korir timed 2:03.31 to finish fourth in the second heat that was won by Audrey Werro from Switzerland in 2:01.83. Briton Jemma Reekie posted the fastest qualifying time with victory in the third heat of 1:59.45.
Kipruto finished third in the first heat in 1:46.89 as Algeria’s Mohamed Ali Gouaned won in 1:46.49 while Kibet, a bronze medallist from 2022, also finished third in the second heat in 1:46.90.
The men and women's 800m semi-finals are scheduled for Saturday with the final on Sunday.
World under-20 1,500m champion Reynold Kipkorir and Vincent Kibet will also be in action at 11.10pm Friday.
