Ferdinand Omanyala’s coach explains source of struggle in indoor campaign
Reading Time: 3min | Sun. 15.03.26. | 14:24
Omanyala’s struggles were evident during the Elite Indoor Track Miramas Meeting, where he faded to an eighth-place finish in the men’s 60m final
Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, endured a challenging start to his 2026 indoor season, but his coach, Duncan Ayiemba, believes the sprinter is gradually regaining his rhythm after battling injury.
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Speaking to Mozzart Sport during a training session at the Kasarani Annex in Nairobi, Ayiemba revealed that Omanyala’s subdued performances during the indoor campaign were largely influenced by a lingering injury from last season.
Towards the end of the 2025 Diamond League circuit, Omanyala disclosed that he had been struggling with persistent pain in his hip, iliopsoas muscles, and gluteal region, which disrupted his preparations for the prestigious series.
The discomfort eventually forced the Kenyan star to withdraw from the Diamond League Final that had been scheduled for Zurich, Switzerland.
According to Ayiemba, the indoor races were less about chasing medals and more about assessing how Omanyala’s body would respond after months of discomfort.
“Going to the indoors, he was not very fit because he was coming off an injury. It was like testing his body and seeing if he could work with the little training we had done,” Ayiemba explained.
“He was not fully healthy, but he was coming up well, and I can say he did his best,” the tactician continued.
Omanyala’s struggles were evident during the Elite Indoor Track Miramas Meeting, where he faded to an eighth-place finish in the men’s 60m final.
The sprinter had shown promise in the heats, finishing third to secure his slot in the final. However, he could not replicate the same form in the medal race, crossing the finish line eighth in 6.86 seconds.
France’s Jesus Orphee Topize claimed victory in a time of 6.70 seconds, while Japan’s Shushei Tada finished second in 6.73 seconds.
South Africa’s Tsebo Matsoso completed the podium in 6.75 seconds.
Omanyala had opened his indoor campaign at the Meeting de Paris Indoor, where he finished fourth in his heat, narrowly missing out on a place in the final.
Despite the modest results, Ayiemba remained confident that his protégé is on the path to full recovery, both physically and mentally.
“When we went to the indoors, he was a bit down, but now he is coming up. The mentality he had with the injury was making him not perform, and I think he has put that behind.
He is now focused on being strong and running faster. At least the injury has subsided,” he said.
An injury combined with a challenging 2025 season could take a psychological and physical toll on any athlete, especially one competing at the highest level.
However, Ayiemba noted that he has been deliberate in helping Omanyala maintain perspective during the recovery phase.
He emphasised that reminding the African record holder of his standing in global sprinting is key to maintaining his confidence, noting that despite recent setbacks, Omanyala remains among the world’s elite sprinters and can still produce world-class times.
“I usually remind him that he is still the beast. Currently, no new guy has reached his level. That is a motivation. If one or two guys in Kenya could challenge his records, then he could be worried. I tell him not to be worried because he is still the best,” he noted.
Looking ahead, the coach believes Omanyala can still clock world-class times once he fully regains his rhythm.
“Even in the world, people are still running 10.00, 9.99, and he is still capable of running those times,” Ayiemba added.