DL: Herculean task for Omanyala in loaded Rabat 100m showdown
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Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 22.05.25. | 10:00
The Kenyan is chasing his first Diamond League victory of the season in three attempts
African multiple record holder Ferdinand Omanyala has his work cut out as he steps out for his third Diamond League (DL) meet of the season in Rabat, on Sunday, 25 May, looking to make up for his last two shows.
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Fresh off a record-breaking 150m race at the Atlanta City Games, where he lowered his African record of 14.89 set on the same course in 2023 to 14.70 seconds to pick a win, Omanyala returns to his signature 100m in Rabat, where he faces a loaded field.
Omanyala has posted mixed results since opening his season back home at the Athletics Kenya (AK) Thika meet. He opened his international season with back-to-back 100m races in the ASA Grand Prix, clocking 10.22 and 10.08, respectively. His 10.00 for second place at the Botswana Grand Prix remains his best time this season as he continues preparations for the Tokyo World Championships.
On the DL front, he has raced for second place at the Xiamen DL in 10.13 and 10.25 for ninth in Shaoxing/Keqiao.
He switched code to representing Team Kenya at this year’s World Relays in Guangzhou, China where he, alongside Boniface Mweresa, Steve Onyango, and Meshack Baabu, raced to a national record time of 38.35 seconds in the first round then followed that up with 38.51 seconds in the second round, qualifying Kenya for the 4x100m for the first time since 1983.
Omanyala goes up against Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo, African nemesis, the in-form Akani Simbine, reigning Olympic 100m bronze medalist Fred Kerley, Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme, American duo of Brandon Hicklin, and Kyree King, Shaun Maswanganyi of South Africa, and French sprinter Jeff Erius.
Tebogo, who opened up his DL season with a 10.20 seventh-place finish in Xiamen, following it up with a 10.03 third-place finish in Shaoxing/Keqiao, is doubling in the 100m and 200m. He won his last DL race in Doha, timing 20.10 in the longer sprint.
In the 200m, he will be challenged by some strong sprinters, including the USA’s Erriyon Knighton and world 400m record holder Wayde van Niekerk.
Meanwhile, Simbine and Kerley are the front-runners going by the season bests so far. The South African carries a 9.90 personal best (PB) in Botswana in April, while the American has an impressive 9.87 (+2.9 wind) in Azusa.
Men's 100m Entries
Akani Simbine (RSA) – World Rank: 2
Fred Kerley (USA) – World Rank: 4
Letsile Tebogo (BOT) – World Rank: 5
Ferdinand Omanyala (KEN) – World Rank: 11
Emmanuel Eseme (CMR) – World Rank: 12
Brandon Hicklin (USA) – World Rank: 18
Kyree King (USA) – World Rank: 26
Shaun Maswanganyi (RSA) – World Rank: 48
Jeff Erius (FRA) – World Rank: 86
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