Omanyala breaks African record at Adidas Atlanta City Games
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Reading Time: 2min | Sun. 18.05.25. | 10:38
The highly anticipated clash between Omanyala and Olympic champion Noah Lyles did not take place.
Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, delivered a stellar performance at the 2025 Adidas Atlanta City Games on Saturday, 17 May, clocking a sensational 14.70 seconds to win the 150m event.
The victory saw the Kenyan sprint sensation shatter both the African and national records. Omanyala started the race with intent, leading from start to finish.
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Bahamian sprinter Terrence Jones finished second with a time of 14.93 seconds, while American Matthew Boling claimed third in 15.15 seconds.
Dominican Republic’s Alexander Ogando was disqualified for a false start.
This triumph was especially satisfying for Omanyala, who had a difficult outing earlier this year at the Xiamen Diamond League.
Bouncing back in emphatic style, the 29-year-old sprinter now holds two African records—9.77 seconds in the 100m and the newly minted 14.70 in the 150m.
Heading into the Atlanta meet, Omanyala was fresh off a historic moment in Kenyan athletics.
He anchored the 4x100m relay team—alongside Boniface Mweresa, Steve Onyango, and Meshack Baabu—to a national record time of 38.35 seconds in the first round of the World Relays in Guangzhou, China. They followed that up with 38.51 seconds in the second round, qualifying Kenya for the World Championships in Tokyo for the first time since 1983.
With momentum on his side, Omanyala now sets his sights on the Rabat Diamond League in Morocco, scheduled for Saturday, 24 May. Fans and the wider athletics community are hopeful for another strong showing from the Commonwealth Games champion.
Lyles Withdraws, Simbine shines
One of the most anticipated showdowns of the event—between Omanyala and Olympic champion Noah Lyles—did not materialize after Lyles withdrew due to a minor injury. His absence disappointed fans who were eager to witness a sprint clash of titans.
In the men’s 100m, South Africa’s Akani Simbine continued his impressive season, clocking 9.86 seconds to win ahead of Nigeria’s Udodi Onwuzurike.
Simbine, who has already beaten Omanyala this year in Xiamen and Botswana, is emerging as a strong contender on the global stage.
Favour Ofili Makes History
The day’s most electrifying moment came from Nigeria’s Favour Ofili, who smashed the women’s 150m world record with a time of 15.85 seconds—becoming the first woman to dip under 16 seconds in the rarely contested distance.
In the men’s 200m, Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes clocked 19.55 seconds for victory, followed closely by South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk in 19.63. Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards settled for third in 20.03 seconds.
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