Kenya's Omanyala is aiming to run 100 meters in 9.6 seconds

The third quickest man in the world this season is involved in a race against time to make the World Athletics Championships in Oregon.

Ferdinand Omanyala had such a delay in getting his visa for the US that he looked set to miss out on competing in the 100-meter dash. He even told AFP on Thursday morning that he had "given up" on his trip to the US.

However, the 26-year-old Kenyan sprinter did eventually receive his visa and will fly out of Nairobi early Thursday evening and arrive in the US approximately two hours before the men's 100m heats begin.

"I want to thank everyone who has worked around the clock to ensure I get this visa," a grateful Omanyala told Athletics Kenya afterwards. "There is nobody to blame here. This is the system, this is how it works. You cannot just force anything."

"I hope I get there. Let's stay positive," Omanyala continued with a smile. "It's just about getting to Oregon and getting to that start line and I believe the support and prayers that are behind are going to make it happen."

Omanyala added that if he does arrive late there is a chance organizers will give him the chance to run his own heat, although he would prefer to race against other runners.

Superstar in the making

After his last 12 months, Omanyala's presence is a must at the Worlds. He broke the African record set by Simbine in July 2021, lowering it from 9.84 to 9.77 seconds, as he became the seventh-fastest man in the world. He also became the first Kenyan to make the semifinal of the Olympics. And just last month, the Kenyan edged out South Africa's Akani Simbine by three thousandth of a second in the men's 100-meter at the African Athletics Championships in Mauritius. Simbine wasn't yet prepared to abdicate his throne as the No. 1 sprinter in Africa, but the moment was a watershed one not just for Omanyala, but also for Kenyan athletics.

In short, the 26-year-old has etched his name into African sprinting history.

"Growing up in a country that only has long-distance was part of the challenge of coming up as a sprinter, because nobody believed a sprinter can do well in Kenya," Omanyala told DW. "I had to change the minds of so many people."

Long-distance running

Some 90% of Kenyan athletes are Nilotes from the Kalenjin group of tribes. Whether it's their genetics or diet, it remains unclear why they produce some of the best long-distance runners.

What distinguishes Omanyala is that he comes from the Bantu Abaluyha tribe. This tribe is well known for producing football and rugby players, with their bulky physique well-suited for such sports.

"I was a rugby player and a very fast winger," Omanyala told DW after he won the African title. "So to change to sprint was something that I dreamt of. It's interesting to do something different that nobody in Kenya is doing because it means my people will treasure me; which is why I decided on sprinting, and it has brought me this far."

His coach, Duncan Ayiemba, whom he still trains with in Kenya, thinks Omanyala's curiosity and hard work proved pivotal.

"He was hard working, dedicated, curious and ready to learn while also challenging me with his effort and growth day by day," Ayiemba said to DW.

A doping ban

Athletics Kenya (AK) have consistently maintained that athletes with a tainted drug history will not be allowed to wear the Red and Black stripes. Omanyala fell into that unwanted category, having served a 14-month ban in 2017 when he tested positive for the prohibited steroid, betamethasone.

According to Omanyala, his difficulties with the federation are now in the past. The relationship seems to be on good terms now, and after serving his ban, Omanyala shifted his focus to changing the perception of how sprinters are viewed in Kenya and the world.

"I had this dream that one day, I will transform sprinting in Kenya, and I never knew it was going to be this big."

"Previously, the federation did not think that Kenyans could do well in sprints because previously sprinters were being taken to international competitions but they were getting knocked out in the heats, so it was perceived that sprinters were jokers. Until I came around and started doing well in outside competitions. Now, even the world is changing how they're viewing sprints [in Kenya]."

The record and a medal

Since the World Championships in Berlin in 2009, Jamaica's Usain Bolt has held the world record in the men's 100-meter dash. The Jamaican clocked 9.58 seconds to win gold, and no one has come close to breaking it since.

Ferdinand believes he is going faster with every passing year, and that he can get close to Bolt's record.

Coach Ayiemba said, "Since I started training Ferdinand and imputing all the knowledge and research I did in him, his performance has improved tremendously. Certainly with time, he can get into the 9.6-second zone."

If Omanyala does get the chance to try for that time in Oregon, the world will watch on keenly as the 26-year-old looks to show once again that Kenyan sprinters are no joke.

Edited by: Jonathan Harding