It is not beyond reality to one day see Kenya ruling the world in sprints
Ferdinand Omanyala (right) wins his 200m heat during third Athletics Kenya Track and Field Meeting at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi on January 26, 2024.
What you need to know:
- Kenyan sensational sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala has just opened the season with an exhilarating win at the 60m race at the Miramas Metropole-Silver Indoor Championship with a meeting record, a personal best, and a national record of 6.52 seconds
- Just a few years ago, the notion of a Kenyan sprinter qualifying for the Olympics seemed beyond imagination, let alone a podium finish
- The performance of sprinters at Birmingham was purely out of the great Kenyan spirit: hard work, belief, resilience, and determination
One of the most popular event in the Olympic Games lasts less than 10 seconds!
When we talk of, “you blink you miss it”, the 100m final unveils a spectacle that captures the essence of speed and human endurance.
It is a crowd’s favourite where victory is decided in mere seconds, mirroring the brevity and intensity of another favourite -- swimming.
Kenyan sensational sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala has just opened the season with an exhilarating win at the 60m race at the Miramas Metropole-Silver Indoor Championship with a meeting record, a personal best, and a national record of 6.52 seconds.
This is significant, coming at a time when the National Olympic Committee was firming up the Pre-Olympic Camp to be held in the same city. The win was a crowning moment of a day full of the city’s partnership spirit.
Just a few years ago, the notion of a Kenyan sprinter qualifying for the Olympics seemed beyond imagination, let alone a podium finish.
However, rewind to the 1968 Mexico Olympics, Kenya claimed a bronze medal in the 4 x 400m relays. The team of Daniel Rudisha, Charles Asati, Naftali Bon and Munyoro Nyamau gave us our first silver medal in the Olympics. To confirm that this was not a flash in the pan, we once again did extremely well and got a gold medal in the 1972 Munich Olympics. Once again, Daniel Rudisha and Munyoro Nyamau made it and were joined by Charles Asati and Robert Ouko to give Kenya the first gold medal in the race.
As years passed, sprinting took a back seat to our middle to long-distance dominance.
Yet, the lead-up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, saw a resurgence, NOC-K in collaboration with Athletics Kenya held a sprinters camp. The camp was extended to Kurume City in Japan two weeks before Olympics. The benefits of these camps were demonstrated by the performance of the athletes.
Omanyala’s journey since has been nothing short of remarkable, culminating in a gold at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
The narrative of his success is incomplete without the relay chapter. The loss at the finals due to a technical error in baton handover still pains. Our relay team had entered the finals with the best time and a gold medal was in sight. However, sometimes the worst happens to the best in the biggest of stages. The performance of sprinters at Birmingham was purely out of the great Kenyan spirit: hard work, belief, resilience, and determination.
Sprinting, much like other contemporary sports, demands a substantial investment of resources. It requires the expertise of highly skilled and educated professionals, coupled with a comprehensive performance science team.
NOC-K wants to change the narrative. We are working in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth, the Creative Economy, and Sports and Athletics Kenya for a programme to develop our sprinters to perform at their best.
Partners who believe in this vision are climbing on board too. Opportunity will only favour those prepared. It’s not beyond reality for the dream of Kenyan supremacy in sprints to unfurl its wings.
Mutuku is the Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya.
