
Kenya's 4x100m squad confident of Olympic slot
Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 02.05.24. | 19:12
Team Kenya's squad for this weekend's World Relays in Bahamas is led by Ferdinand Omanyala
Having learned from their mishap at the Commonwealth Games that denied the Kenyan 4x100m team a potential medal, Ferdinand Omanyala says the lessons will come in handy when Team Kenya faces the rest of the world this weekend.
The Commonwealth Games 100m champion and Africa's record holder in the distance, Omanyala, headlines Team Kenya's 4x100m squad to the World Relays in Bahamas on 4 and 5 May.
He will be joined on the race by a trio selected from the returning Mark Otieno, Meshack Baabu, Samuel Chege, Mike Mokamba and Hesbon Ochieng as they look to qualify for the Paris Olympics.
"We are ready. We have put in the work to make sure our speed matches the technique in the baton exchange. The target for us is to finish in an Olympic spot, the medals don't matter at the moment," Omanyala said in an interview with NTV.
At the Commonwealth Games, the quartet of Omanyala, Dan Kiviasi, Ochieng and Samuel Imeta were hoping to deliver history and add on to the African title they had won in Mauritius.
Imeta executed the 100m take off quite fast, but could not handover the baton in the first changeover with Kiviasi, thus exiting the race, before Mokamba, in the third exchange and Omanyala, who was at anchor leg could get their chance.
"We learn from such and trust in the brotherhood that we have fostered during training. Our tactics are on point and we are focused," Omanyala added.
Meanwhile, three global championships have been held since the last edition of the World Relays, and each one has produced a different winner of the men’s 4x100m.
All three of those gold-medal-winning nations will clash in what looks set to be one of the most competitive races of the weekend.
Italy who pulled off a surprised triumph at the 2021 World Relays in Silesia and won gold at the Tokyo Olympics, a strong US squad that struck gold at the World Championships in Budapest last year and all four men who carried Canada to victory at the 2022 World Championships.












