• Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Login
  • Register
  • Home
  • Archive
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Archive
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Uncategorized

Omanyala’s latest showing in Nairobi brings redemption in front of his home crowd and makes him a frontrunner for a podium finish at the World Championships in Oregon 

Deji OgeyingbobyDeji Ogeyingbo
May 8, 2022
0
0 0
0
SHARES
3
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Omanyala lo .jpeg

Ferdinand Omanyala won the KIp Keino Classic in WL 9.85! photo courtesy of KIP KEINO CLASSIC

RelatedPosts

Sydney McLaughlin and her Magnificent Obsession

2022 Oslo Bislett Games: Brits in Oslo

2022 Oslo Bislett DL: The Dream Mile

Deji Ogeyingbo wrote this piece on the amazing run by Ferdinand Omanyala, who managed the field, and a false start (mechanical error) to take the world leader and make sure that everybody in the world now knows that Kenya produces sprinters, javelin throwers and distance runners!

Omanyala’s latest showing in Nairobi brings redemption in front of his home crowd and makes him a frontrunner for a podium finish at the World Championships in Oregon

The first time Ferdinand Omanyala raced in front of his home crowd against an international field was in September 2021. It was a watershed year for the Kenyan who had gone through the turmoil of having to take his Athletics Federation to court previously so he can represent his country while also having to contend with catching up with his competitors.

Omanyala was able to get back into the reckoning as he reached the semi-finals of the Tokyo Olympics while also breaking 10s. But he needed to soothe his country which still had doubts about his potential as well as a World Class sprinter coming out of the East African Nation.

At the Continental Gold Tour meet in Nairobi last year, Omanyala started the healing process with his home fans when he stormed to an African Record of 9.77s to finish behind America’s Trayvon Bromell. Although the crowd was scanty because of the COVID-19 regulations, President Uhuru Kenyatta alongside his cronies witnessed the Bantu Abaluyha tribesman make history.

Still, there were few whispers about him and his ability to be the poster boy for a country that prides itself as one of the best in Athletics. Some of the greats of the sport have come from this East African nation. From David Rudisha to Eluid Kipchoge, they always produce some of the great middle- and long-distance runners. Omanyala was the outlier.

Eight months later, in front of a near-capacity crowd in the Kasarani Stadium, Omanyala just might have warmed his way into his heart of Kenyans fully while setting down a marker to his rivals about his authenticity for getting on the podium at the World Championships in Oregon in July.

The African Record holder stormed to a new World Lead and Seasons Best of 9.85s to defeat Olympic Silver medalist, Fred Kerley to take the win at this year’s 100m at the Kip Kieno Classic.

Prior to the race though, the news that Olympic 100m Champion and World Indoor 60m Champion Marcel Jacobs had come down with a bug might have diluted the contest, but the fans and millions watching from all over the world still looked forward to a decent contest that saw Mike Rodgers and Isaiah Young also take to the starting blocks.

Drawn in lane 4, Omanyala was running shoulder to shoulder with Kerley, so he knew he had to get his start right and it would be difficult for the American to reel him in. Well, not necessarily because there was a false start, which later showed in the system to be a malfunction. Regardless, it rattled some of the runners. Not Omanyala.

He picked up himself and once he got out of his drive phase, there was no stopping him as he became the first sprinter to run inside 9.9s this year. Kerley put up a good fight but he seemed to have run himself down after sprinting over halfway before the false start was called back prior to the race.

The win for Omanyala saw a rapturous crowd come to its feet as placards and echoes of his name were being chanted inside the stadium. After trotting almost, the entire length of the track, he went up for a Presidential hug from Kenyatta whose embrace signalled the sort of acceptance a mother gives a wayward child after acing his exams.

In the span of three quarters of a year, Omanyala has beaten the African Champion Akani Simbine on home turf, come within 0.01s of taking down last year’s world leader Trayvon Bromell, and now he has obliterated the Olympic 100m Silver medalist Kerley. It’s the sort of situation any sprinter would want to find himself in, talk more of one whose quests of redemption had the odds stacked against him.

The next two months before the World Champs will be crucial. Diamond league races as well as the African Championships are on the horizon. Omanyala will face hungrier runners. Before, he used to be content with just having to lace his spikes at second string events, but his recent races have surely earned him a seat at the table.

Ahead of the World Championships, one in which no African sprinter has been on the podium in the 100m, Omanyala will be looking to buck that trend this summer, but first, he needs to relish the moment and take each race as it comes even though the test will become stronger form here.

Author

  • dhunter

    Dave Hunter is a U.S. Correspondent for Track & Field News, writes a weekly column and serves as Senior Writer for RunBlogRun, and covers championship track & field competition domestically and in such foreign locations as Moscow, Birmingham, Zurich, Brussels, Beijing, and Rio de Janeiro. Hunter frequently serves as the arena or stadium announcer for championship track & field gatherings, including the Ivy League, the Big East, the NAIA, the Big Ten, the Mid-American conference, and the Millrose Games. Hunter has undertaken foreign and domestic broadcast assignments, most recently three world-class road race broadcasts in the Czech Republic.

    View all posts

Previous Post

Garrett Scantling scores 8,867 PB for Decathlon WL, Anna Hall scores 6,458 PB for Heptathlon WL at USATF Combined Events Championships!

Next Post

Four big Take Aways from the 2022 Kip Keino Classic !

dhunter

dhunter

Dave Hunter is a U.S. Correspondent for Track & Field News, writes a weekly column and serves as Senior Writer for RunBlogRun, and covers championship track & field competition domestically and in such foreign locations as Moscow, Birmingham, Zurich, Brussels, Beijing, and Rio de Janeiro. Hunter frequently serves as the arena or stadium announcer for championship track & field gatherings, including the Ivy League, the Big East, the NAIA, the Big Ten, the Mid-American conference, and the Millrose Games. Hunter has undertaken foreign and domestic broadcast assignments, most recently three world-class road race broadcasts in the Czech Republic.

Similar Post

2022 USATF Outdoor Champs: Sandi Morris takes the Women’s Pole Vault in style! by Jasmyne Tomas, SOJC Track Bureau
Events

2022 USATF Outdoor Champs: Sandi Morris takes the Women’s Pole Vault in style! by Jasmyne Tomas, SOJC Track Bureau

June 29, 2022
2022 USATF Outdoor Champs: Cooper Teare wins the Men’s 1,500 meters! by Elias Esquivel, SOJC Track Bureau
Events

2022 USATF Outdoor Champs: Cooper Teare wins the Men’s 1,500 meters! by Elias Esquivel, SOJC Track Bureau

June 29, 2022
2022 USATF Outdoor Champs, Sinclaire Johnson takes the Women’s 1,500m: What a difference a year makes! by Madeline Ryan, SOJC Track Bureau
Events

2022 USATF Outdoor Champs, Sinclaire Johnson takes the Women’s 1,500m: What a difference a year makes! by Madeline Ryan, SOJC Track Bureau

June 29, 2022
2022 USATF Outdoor Champs: Ryan Crouser entertains while winning the Men’s shot put! by Tristen Shaw, SOJC Track Bureau
Events

2022 USATF Outdoor Champs: Ryan Crouser entertains while winning the Men’s shot put! by Tristen Shaw, SOJC Track Bureau

June 29, 2022
2022 USATF Outdoor Champs: Melissa Jefferson takes the Women’s 100m title in windy 10.69!
Events

2022 USATF Outdoor Champs: Melissa Jefferson takes the Women’s 100m title in windy 10.69!

June 29, 2022
2022 USATF Outdoor Champs: Fred Kerley takes the Men’s 100m, by McKenzie Days, SOJC Track Bureau
Events

2022 USATF Outdoor Champs: Fred Kerley takes the Men’s 100m, by McKenzie Days, SOJC Track Bureau

June 29, 2022

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to RunBlogRun's Global News Feed

Wake up to RunBlogRun’s news in your inbox. Sign up for our newsletter and we’ll keep you informed about the Sport you love.

*we hate spam as much as you do

Recent Stories

Track & Field

Zuzana Hejnova to compete in Doha DL over 400m hurdles, from EME News (source:IAAF)

by Alfonz Juck
April 4, 2022
0

Zuzana Hejnova, photo by PhotoRun.net Hejnova opens in DohaDOHA (QAT): World 200m champion Dafne Schippers will go head-to-head with world...

Zuzana Hejnova runs 38.16 All time best for 300m hurdles, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder

April 4, 2022

Zurich’s Grand Venue: Letzigrund Stadium Inspires Exceptional Performances

April 4, 2022

Zurich Weltklasse, the Olympics in One Night, by Bob Ramsak, Notes by Larry Eder

June 23, 2022

Recent Tweets

RunBlogRun Follow

RunBlogRun comments on the global world of athletics, sports & ethics, and the Olympic movement. RunBlogRun is the voice of the sport.

RunBlogRun
runblogrun RunBlogRun @runblogrun ·
11h

Great deals on tickets, accommodations, and air travel for @WCHOregon22 for July 14-25, 2022. Check here: https://bit.ly/3AcTm2b, #DAIMANI, #VIPtickets, #Worldchampionships,

Reply on Twitter 1542041604076277760 Retweet on Twitter 1542041604076277760 Like on Twitter 1542041604076277760 Twitter 1542041604076277760
runblogrun RunBlogRun @runblogrun ·
11h

What happened to the crowd at Eugene? https://www.runblogrun.com/2022/06/what-happened-to-the-crowd-at-eugene.html , #USATFoutdoors, @kevmofoto, #trackandfield, #trackandfieldlife,

Reply on Twitter 1542040757619642371 Retweet on Twitter 1542040757619642371 Like on Twitter 1542040757619642371 5 Twitter 1542040757619642371
runblogrun RunBlogRun @runblogrun ·
13h

The battle for the 200m is on. Collins, Pradini and Steiner, with Abby Steiner taking the win in WL 21.77 WL/PB. June 26, 2022, #USATFOutdoors, #trackandfield, #trackandfieldlife, photo: @kevmofoto, ...@WCHoregon22,

Reply on Twitter 1542020309930442752 Retweet on Twitter 1542020309930442752 Like on Twitter 1542020309930442752 5 Twitter 1542020309930442752
runblogrun RunBlogRun @runblogrun ·
13h

Collins, Pradini, Steiner, W 200m. Abby Steiner takes the W200m, June 26, 2022, #USATFOutdoors, #trackandfield, #trackandfieldlife, photo: @kevmofoto, @WCHoregon22,

Reply on Twitter 1542019698476425217 Retweet on Twitter 1542019698476425217 Like on Twitter 1542019698476425217 1 Twitter 1542019698476425217
runblogrun RunBlogRun @runblogrun ·
13h

Abby Steiner takes the W200m, in 21.77 WL. She just went pro. Let the bidding begin. June 26, 2022, #USATFOutdoors, #trackandfield, #trackandfieldlife, photo: @kevmofoto, @WCHoregon22,

Reply on Twitter 1542019120018898946 Retweet on Twitter 1542019120018898946 Like on Twitter 1542019120018898946 2 Twitter 1542019120018898946
Load More...
Next Post

Four big Take Aways from the 2022 Kip Keino Classic !

runblogrun

RunBlogRun comments on the global world of athletics, sports & ethics, and the Olympic movement. @runblogrun

Browse by Category

Newsletter

Subscribe to our mailing list to receives daily updates direct to your inbox!

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact Us

© 2022 Run Blog Run - All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
  • Home page
  • My Account

© 2022 Run Blog Run - All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

Select a password for yourself. (minimum length of 8)

Paste here the user biography.

Provide here the twitter screen name. i.e. @RunBlogRun

Provide here the instagram screen name. i.e. @RunBlogRun

Provide here the facebook profile URL. i.e. http://www.facebook.com/RunBlogRun

Provide here the linkedin profile URL. i.e. https://www.linkedin.com/in/larry-eder-5497253

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist