Omanyala set for final race in Austria before Budapest showdown

Africa’s fastest man and the reigning 100m Commonwealth Champion Ferdinand Omanyala will take part in the International Josko Running Meeting in Andorf, Austria on Saturday 29 where, the 27-year old will compete for one last time before shifting focus to his final preparation for the 2023 World Championships.

Fresh from becoming the first ever Kenyan to win a 100m race at the Diamond League when he fended off close challenge from Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo to triumph in Monaco, Omanyala will return to Austria where he has fond memories as it was the place, he ran his first ever sub ten seconds.

Back then in 2021, Omanyala timed 9.96 at the semis before clocking 9.86 in the finals of the meeting to set what were new national records at the time and his first sub ten performances.

After the race in Austria, Omanyala, will then head back to Team Kenya’s pre-Olympics training base in Miramas, France where he will fine tune for the Budapest World Championships slated to take place from 19-27 August.

“I will be racing in Austria on Saturday after which I will head back to Miramas where we are having the Team Kenya training camp,” Omanyala told Mozzart Sport.

In Budapest, Omanyala is looking to become the first African to win a medal at the World Championships and his bid has been backed by American athletics legend Michael Johnson.

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“Said it before. I believe Omanyala will be the first African to win a 100m World Champs medal. His muscular structure provides tremendous power but do any coaches or sport science experts out there think it could become a limiting factor in his ability to sprint efficiently?” Johnson posted.

Omanyala will not be returning to Kenya till the Diamond League Final slated for 16-17 September in Oregon, USA.

The African record holder has already qualified for the finals after winning the 2023 Monaco race.

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