Athletics Kenya grappling with Omanyala mania as sprint enthusiasts overflow

The meteoric rise of Ferdinand Omurwa Omanyala from an athletics outcast to Africa’s fastest man and a darling of the masses has catalyzed a ripple effect that custodians of the sport in the country, Athletics Kenya, are struggling to cope with.

The number of young sprinting enthusiasts has increased ten-fold since Omanyala broke into the nine-second realm of 100m sprinting. While short racing has for time unnumbered been considered not a cup of Kenya’s famous long distance tea, recent exploits by the 26 year-old are occasioning a paradigm shift.

AK’s erstwhile colorless weekend meetings have sparked into life. Over the years short racing in the weekend circuit was a formality – a PR necessity to shield Athletics Kenya from any criticism that may abound from the ever watchful detractors.

Hardly were there enough sprinters to constitute six heats for 100m and 200m. And it was the same faces from National Police Service, Kenya Defense Forces, National Prisons Service and a sprinkling of individual sprinters either moonlighting in short races as a rite of passage into middle distance or strategic job hunters in the disciplined forces.

 The contrast with current situation is sharp. Very sharp. The last meeting at Nyayo stadium witnessed 17 heats of the 100m men and 16 heats for the 200m.

“They call it Omanyala mania. His success has brought many people who had been wasting their talents at home and pursuing other things. Hopefully, we’ll get five or six athletes who are as good as he is. Already there are signs that a number of young sprinters are going to break into elite zone,” experienced sprints tactician Stephen Mwaniki remarked

While the coaching fraternity may be welcoming an influx of young enthusiasts Athletics Kenya is grappling with their budgets. The influx is not limited to male sprinters. The numbers have burgeoned in female fields as well.

AK Weekend meetings which were a one-day affairs now struggle to fit into two-day programs. With the massive turnouts witnessed in the last two meetings AK is mulling stretching the meetings to three days.

However, that comes with additional costs to hire venues, purchase water, equipment and remunerations for track officials. For an organization already feeling the heat from a protracted court process and dwindling number of corporate sponsors, the influx of new players into the sport is a double-edged sword.

“It is great to see many new faces joining the sport. A lot of talent is wasted starting from high school. Transition into the senior zone is very minimal and the sport needed someone with such a performance to convince potential sprinter that they too can make it just like the middle and long distance runners,” AK vice president and Director of Competitions Paul Mutwii said 

To have 136 entries for 100m men and 128 for 200m men is phenomenal. It is a dream for any federation to have many new entrants into their sport. It certainly is for Athletics Kenya, the budgets are stretched though.

The man of the moment is certainly loving the turnout and hopes to draw company into the elite world of sprinting. "It really is encouraging to see many newcomers into the sport and especially the short races which previously had few participants. There are very good runners I have seen and I know a good number will make it in the sports. The talent is abundant and the interest is now massive," Omanyala said during the Nairobi meeting