Omanyala stays positive after 100m miss, eyes relay bounce back

Africa’s 100m record holder Ferdinand Omanyala is looking at the positive side of things after finishing fifth in the World Championships 100m semi-finals, where he timed 10.12 seconds. He is upbeat and has shifted his focus to the 4x100M relay on the penultimate day.

 “I’m glad I got here, and those are the results we got. It’s just putting my head together and moving forward. We have the 4x100M relay coming up next weekend, so that will be the last one. Then I’ll refocus and keep working hard until I get it right,” he said.

The 29-year-old came into the championships carrying hip, iliopsoas, and gluteal pain, which had already forced him to withdraw from the Diamond League Final in Zurich on August 25. Despite these setbacks, Omanyala expressed gratitude and determination after the race.

Omanyala is also calling for increased investment in athletics, urging more partners to invest in sprint talents across the country, to help the promising youngsters realise their dream.

 “The sponsors who came through really helped us because you’ve seen the sprinters have been on course the whole season. Previously, you could have had three or four weekend meetings, and that’s done. This year we’ve had sprinters come and run so well, so I’m glad about that.”

While the Tokyo 2025 dream ends in the semis, Omanyala remains Africa’s fastest man and a trailblazer for Kenyan sprinting, inspiring a new generation to look beyond the nation’s traditional middle- and long-distance dominance.

With his focus shifting to the upcoming 4x100m relay and long-term goals like the 2026 World Championships in Paris and the 2028 Olympics, Omanyala is determined to recover fully and return to top form.