Dj Vnyash
Kenya’s sprint star Ferdinand Omanyala envisions a promising future for the nation’s sprinters on the global stage.
Despite finishing a disappointing eighth in the semifinals of the 2024 Paris Olympics, a result that left his fans disheartened, the National Police Service officer remains hopeful. Omanyala, who clocked 10.08 seconds, entered Paris as the season’s second-fastest man, raising expectations for a podium finish.
“It wasn’t the outcome we anticipated. We invested countless hours in training and did everything possible to make a mark at the Olympics, but things didn’t go as planned,” Omanyala shared.
“On the bright side, we’ve gained valuable lessons that will propel us to greater success in future competitions. I’m confident we’ll achieve better results next time,” he added.
Although his dream of becoming the first Kenyan to reach the Olympic 100m final was dashed, Omanyala urged his supporters to take pride in the history he made by reaching the semifinals.
Prior to the semifinals, Omanyala had expressed optimism, stating that he was a stronger athlete than at the Tokyo Olympics and was hopeful of making it to the final this year.
In Tokyo 2021, Omanyala was more impressive, setting a new personal best and breaking the national record with a time of 10.00 seconds, though he didn’t advance to the final.
Omanyala believes that his performances in Tokyo and Paris have significantly altered the global perception of Kenyan sprinters.
“As I’ve mentioned before, Kenya’s sprinting story has changed for the better. The future looks bright,” he concluded.
