Commonwealth Games: Omanyala begins quest for redemption with victory

Kenyan athletics poster boy Ferdinand Omanyala launched his Commonwealth Games medal quest in stunning fashion after breezing to a 10.07 second victory in the 5th heat of 100m men in Birmingham, England on Tuesday lunch hour.

Omanyala whose World Championship medal bid flopped on the back of a dodgy travel plan put up a redemptive performance in the opening round and goes into the semifinal among the top dogs.

In the absence of American sprinting cast from the Commonwealth Games, 100m is up for grabs and the Kenyan who had made a 9.85 second time over the distance earlier this years has fewer challengers for glory.

Drawn in lane eight Omanyala got off the blocks ferociously, getting in his grove at the 30-40m region then powering past the finish line in his customary fashion that was so missing in Oregon’s semifinal. The more conducive travel, acclimatization and settled training seem to have restored his mojo.

He lined up alongside Cameroon's Emmanuel Eseme who threatened to take first position away from the Kenyan but had to contend with second position on 10.08

The other Kenyan in the race Samuel Imeta of KDF also squeezed into the semifinal after finishing second in heat nine. He clocked a personal best time of 10.12 to qualify among the automatic qualifying spots and will fancy his chances in the more competitive level.

He compensated for a slow start with real acceleration and nearly stole victory from Australian Rohan Browning who nicked it on 10.10.

The Kenyan duo face three renown sprinters heading into the semis. Defending champion Akani Simbine of South Africa, England’s Nathaniel Mitchel-Blake and Ghana’s Benjamin Azamati all coasted into the next round and have the pedigree to grab gold from a championship shunned by most top guns.

In the women's category, Maximilia Imali also successfully booked her place in the semis after finishing third in Heat 2 behind Jamaican sprint sensation Elain Thompson Herah and Imani Lansiquot.

Herah, who will be one of the top contenders for the 100m gold in the women's category, won the heat with a cruising 10.99s as Imani clocked a season best of 11.15. Imali secured automatic qualification after running 11.30s to finish third.

The same could however not be said of Millicent Ndoro who missed out on progression after finishing fifth in Heat 3.