Omanyala leads call for sprint investment after historic World Relays feat
Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 13.05.25. | 20:59
Kenya concluded the championships tied in ninth place with Botswana, both nations earning one bronze medal.
Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, has called for increased investment in sprinting following Kenya’s historic performance at the World Relays in Guangzhou, China.
He believes this momentum can help uncover more sprinting talent and elevate Kenya’s status on the global stage.
Follow our WhatsApp channel for more news
“We had a fantastic weekend at the World Relays. We’ve made history as the first Kenyan 4x100m team to qualify for the World Championships,” said Omanyala in an interview with Athletics Kenya.
Omanyala, alongside teammates Boniface Mweresa, Meshack Babu, and Steve Odhiambo, helped Kenya’s 4x100m men’s team secure a spot in Tokyo. The quartet clocked 38.51 seconds to finish second in Heat 2 of Round Two, sealing their place in the championship.
As celebrations continue, Omanyala emphasized the importance of thorough preparations to push for a podium finish in Tokyo.
“Now it’s time to focus on training. The entire country has seen what we can do. The government and Athletics Kenya must now support us with a proper training camp. The World Championships won’t be easy,” he added.
Kenya also impressed in the 4x400m mixed relay, where David Sanayek, Mercy Chebet, Brian Tinega, and Mercy Aoko clinched a bronze medal with a season-best time of 3:13.10. In the final, the 4x400m team broke the national record by finishing fifth with a time of 2:59.29, confirming their place among the world’s elite.
Head coach Stanley Towet expressed pride in his team’s exceptional results.
“These athletes have worked incredibly hard. Three of our four teams qualified for the World Championships, and we broke national records in all events. That shows our preparations in Nairobi were solid,” said Towett.
He praised the team’s commitment during training and predicted success after their strong performance in the final pre-relays meeting at Ulinzi Sports Complex.
“The athletes followed the training program diligently, and the results are proof. I hope this team remains intact for Tokyo. They’ve done a remarkable job.”
Towett also acknowledged the contribution of his technical team, including coaches Simon Riga and Thomas Musembi, chaperone Catherine Kagwiria, Tanui, and physiotherapist Edwin Kiptoo. “This achievement belongs to all of us. Everyone gave their best.”
Sprinter Mercy Oketch, who is set to represent Kenya for a second time at the World Championships, shared her excitement.
“This is just the beginning. More is coming. That race was something else —I’ve never run anything like it. I thank God. Competing against the USA, with some of the world’s fastest athletes, was amazing.”
Kenya concluded the championships tied in ninth place with Botswana, both nations earning one bronze medal. South Africa topped the table with two golds and a bronze, followed by the USA (1 gold, 2 silver) and Spain (1 gold, 1 silver). Other countries on the leaderboard included Canada, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Jamaica, Australia, and Belgium.
