Omanyala, Odhiambo to headline ASA Grand Prix in Tshwane

Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala will headline the ASA Grand Prix series opener, a World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger event, set for Wednesday, March 13, at Pilditch Stadium in Tshwane, South Africa.

Omanyala, the 100m African record holder, is the pre-race favorite but faces stiff competition. Among his challengers are fellow Kenyan Mark Odhiambo, former South African 200m champion Luxolo Adams, and Emile Erasmus, a 32-year-old sprinter aiming to make an impact in his comeback season.

This will be Omanyala’s first major competition of the season. He kicked off his campaign on February 28 at the Athletics Kenya (AK) Track and Field Weekend Meet in Thika, clocking 10.7 seconds on the murram track at Thika Stadium. For the first time in three years, the 29-year-old opted out of the indoor season to conserve energy for the outdoor circuit, with his focus firmly set on the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, scheduled for September 13–21.

Despite skipping the indoor season, Omanyala has yet to rule out participation in the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, from March 21 to 23.

The Commonwealth champion is on a mission to redeem himself after his disappointment at the Paris Olympics. He, however, found solace in clocking the world’s second-fastest time in 2024 clocking 9.79 second at the Kenyan Olympic Trials.

Currently, Omanyala is fine-tuning his preparations at Kenyatta University’s track ahead of a packed 2025 season.