Omanyala explains motivation behind shifting from rugby to athletics

Before transitioning to athletics, Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, was known for his prowess on the rugby pitch. However, since shifting to his new-found love of athletics, his career trajectory has been nothing short of remarkable.

Omanyala played the winger position at Friends School Kamusinga before taking up athletics at the University of Nairobi under the guidance of coach Duncan Oyiemba.

But what motivated the transition?

As a comrade at the university, Omanyala had to look for alternative options to earn some income. Given the financial difficulties associated with rugby in Kenya, particularly at the university level, the speedster considered athletics to support himself.

In 2016, he decided to give athletics a six-month trial; little did he know that his star lay in the sport.

Mark Otieno opens up on fatherhood experience

“At first, my motivation was money. I decided to take a break from rugby after hearing about the financial benefits of athletics. I decided to do athletics for six months. Eight years later, six months have not ended,” he joked.

The sprint maestro went on to note that rugby was his first love, but fate seemed to have another plan for him.

“I loved rugby. I wanted to be a rugby star, but, you see, our callings are different. This world has different callings. God wants us to do different things. That is why I am here,” he told Mozzart Sport.

There have been some downs, including receiving a 14-month suspension for testing positive for the prohibited substance betamethasone after undergoing treatment for his back injury, which he got during rugby training.

Feeling like a tiger freed from a cage, he returned from the ban eager to win everything that lay ahead.

“The switch was a bit challenging. If you see a person is fast on the field, do not automatically think they will be fast on the track. I was fast on the field, but the first time I ran on the track, it took me 11 seconds. So, it takes a long time to go from 11 to nine seconds. A lot should be done here in between,” he disclosed.

Ferdinand Omanyala's mission to mentor the next generation of sprinters

Omanyala finished fifth in the 2024 Kipkeino Classic, but for him, that served as motivation to perform better ahead of the Paris Olympics.

"This was my first 100m after a long time, and the goal was to see where we were." The real test will come in three months, during the Olympics. We are approaching this season with a different mindset. I don’t want to peak too early; I don’t want to peak in March and then go down before August," he averred.

But first things first. His first major assignment this year will be at the World Relays Championships, slated for March 4–5 in the Bahamas.