African 100m record holder Ferdinand Omanyala has, on multiple occasions, found himself on the receiving end of the wrath of social media users.
In an interview ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which start on July 26, Omanyala disclosed that he has had to seek help from a psychologist after he promised Kenyans that he would win a medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, but the competition did not go his way.
“Not everybody understands that there is winning and losing in athletics. The pressure out there when you are at the top level is very high, emotionally, physically, so to deal with it, I talk to a psychologist,” says Omanyala.
He says he had underrated the importance of mental health until he realised an athlete has to be very strong mentally “because you are dealing with a lot of media and other stuff, before and after races.”
When you have peace mentally, the 28-year-old, says, it is much easier for you to perform well, even in training.
Ferdinard Omanyala after work-out before his training session in Nairobi on July 1, 2024>
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
“But, if you are not mentally at peace, then it will be very hard for you to even run,” Omanyala, who is the Toyota Hilux Double Cab ambassador for CFAO Mobility Kenya told Nation Lifestyle.
One of the lessons that he has had to learn is that even if you lose a race, you really have not lost, you either learn or win.
"That's my mantra in life now,” he says, "despite the low moments, days will always move. No one day will wait for you to be better before it continues moving. If that sticks in your mind, you realise that you have to pick yourself up, be strong and move on,” says Omanyala.
However, Omanyala admits that not every athlete can afford the cost of sports psychology services because therapy is expensive.
According to Rowena Tirop, a sports psychologist attached to Team Kenya, the cost of sports psychology services varies.
"Typically, it ranges from Sh3,000 to Sh5,000 per session," says Tirop, adding that sport psychology is crucial for athletes as it enhances mental resilience, focus, and confidence, leading to improved performance.
Techniques like goal setting, visualisation, and stress management, Tirop notes, help athletes maintain peak performance under pressure.
“Additionally, sport psychology aids in managing common mental challenges such as performance anxiety, stress, motivation, focus, confidence, burnout, and injury management,” says Tirop.
In his 100-metre speciality, Omanyala reached the semi-final stage at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon, US and the final in the following edition in Budapest, Hungary, and the semi-final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in Japan.
Expectations were high from Kenyans that he would get a medal in Budapest, but finished in seventh place (second-last).
Kenyan sprinter Ferdinard Omanyala during a training session in Nairobi on July 1, 2024.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
The 2022 African and Commonwealth Games champion Omanyala now heads to the Paris 2024 Olympics cautiously optimistic after registering mixed results over that distance this year.
He finished the Kip Keino Classic Continental Tour on April 20 in fifth place in 10.03 seconds, behind American Kenneth Bednarek (9.91), Liberian Emmanuel Matadi (9.99), Briton Jeremiah Azu (10.00) and Italian Chituru Ali (10.01). Fifth is the worst position he has ever got at Kip Keino Classic since his debut in 2021.
Omanyala set the African record of 9.77 at the Kip Keino Classic in 2021 after finishing second between Americans Trayvon Bromell (9.76) and Justin Gatlin (10.03).
He won in 2022 in 9.85 ahead of Americans Fred Kerley (9.92) and Isiah Young (10.13) and then retained the title in 2023 after he clocked 9.84 followed by Americans Bednarek (9.98) and Marvin Bracy-Williams (10.03).
Omanyala came second at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League in 9.98 in the US on May 25 this year and then third in 10.02 at the Racers Grand Prix in Jamaica, behind Jamaican Oblique Seville (9.82) and American Noah Lyles (9.85) on June 1.
Ferdinand Omanyala celebrates after his victory in the men's 100m race at the FBK Games in Hengelo in the Netherlands.
Photo credit: Pool
He dominated the National Trials for Paris 2024 Olympics by storming to 10.09 in heats (June 14) and world-leading time at the time of 9.79 in the final (June 15) at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi.
Omanyala’s last race before heading to Team Kenya residential camp in Miramas, France was at the FBK Games in Hengelo in the Netherlands where he clinched the title in 10.01.
In his first outing at the Olympics, Omanyala reached the semi-final stage after finishing third in his heat behind Kerley and Canadian Andre De Grasse.
Omanyala started his sports journey as a volleyball player in primary school and then moved on to become a winger in rugby while at Friends School Kamusinga in Bungoma County and in his early years at the University of Nairobi.
He was a very good winger, but ditched rugby for sprints in 2016. He is now the 10th Kenyan to compete at the Olympics in 100m after Donald Onchiri in 1996, Kennedy Ondieki (1988 and 1992), Peter Wekesa (1988), Dan Amuke and John Mwebi (1972), Julius Sang and Charles Asati (1968), John Owiti (1964) and Serafino Antao (1960 and 1964).
