Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, leads Team Kenya to the 2025 World Relay Championships this weekend in Guangzhou, southern China.
On Saturday and Sunday, Omanyala and his team mates will join some of the world’s finest sprinters at the championship in Guangzhou, to fight for global honours.
Competing teams will vie for places in the 2025 World Athletics Championships scheduled for Tokyo later in the year.
Kenya has sent a team of 23 to the two-day championships at Guangdong Olympic Stadium in Guangzhou, southern China.
The qualifying round of men’s 100 metres race of the biennial championship, now in its seventh edition, will be held on Saturday from 3.25pm (Kenyan time).
It is the first time China is hosting the event, after previous editions in Bahamas, Japan and Poland. Botswana will host next year’s competition.
Simbine will compete in men’s 4x100m for South Africa in the biennial event, which will be held in Botswana next year.
The championship brings together 730 athletes, both men and women, from 43 countries competing in six disciplines across two days.
Speaking to Nation Sport on phone from China yesterday, Omanyala described his team as the best the country has and urged his team mates to bring their “A” game to Guangzhou.
“I want us to enjoy the moment and let our performances speak for us,” said Omanyala, who is making his third appearance at the World Relay Championships after competing in 2017 and 2024 editions in Bahamas.
“One really can’t predict how things will unfold at the championship, but last year it was very competitive because teams were fighting hard to qualify for Paris Olympic Games,” the Commonwealth Games 100m champion said. Omanyala, 29, said it was an honour for him to have made Team Kenya for the third time.
“I won’t be under any pressure to perform, but the responsibility on my shoulders is huge, knowing that all eyes will be on me to rally the troops in the 4x100m,” he explained.
At the same time, Omanyala has urged his fans to be patient since the best is yet to come from him this season.
Omanyala finished second in Botswana Golden Grand Prix, and in the season-opening Xiamen Diamond League in China in 10.00 seconds and 10.13sec respectively behind South Africa’s world indoor 60m bronze medallist Akani Simbine, who clocked 9.90 (World lead) and 9.99 respectively.
Omanyala then timed 10.25 for ninth place in Shanghai Diamond League race won by Simbine in 9.98 ahead of Paris Olympics 100m silver medallist Kishane Thompson (19.99) of Jamaican and Paris Olympics 200m champion Letsile Tebogo (10.03).
“I can’t reliably gauge myself with three high profile races, two in which I performed arguably well. I am still trying to find my balance and a proper race model. I have not competed indoors this time round,” said Omanyala.
Omanyala said that he will review his performances after after the world relays and improve where possible.
In Guangzhou, Omanyalawill team up with his younger brother Isaac Omurwa, Meshack Babu, Mark Otieno, Steve Onyango and Moses Wasike in Kenya men’s 4x100m team. Kenya failed to go past the first round of their 4x100m event last year in Bahamas. USA eventually won gold ahead of Canada and France.
Team Kenya’s captain, Boniface Mweresa who will lead men’s 4x400m team, said that the team’s camp ran smoothly.
Mweresa said it’s only world 800m champion Mary Moraa who will miss the championship after failing to secure a Chinese visa. Moraa was to compete in the 4x400m mixed relay.
“Some of us had challenges getting spikes that meet World Athletics specifications, but all is fine now,” Mweresa, who will lead Kenya men’s 4x400m that has Zablon Ekwam, David Sanayek, Kevin Kipkorir, Allan Kipyego, Wiseman Were, Brian Tinega and Kelvin Kiprotich, said. Kenya is represented by 22 athletes.
