When 164 sprinters showed up at Nyayo National Stadium for the first Athletics Kenya Track and Field meeting on February 4, 2022, everyone was talking about the “Omanyala Effect.” Ferdinand Omanyala Omurwa, the subject behind this concept, believes he has contributed something to the growing interest in sprints in Kenya.
The 26-year-old started his sports journey as a volleyballer in primary school and went on to become a winger in rugby while at Friends School Kamusinga in Bungoma County. He continued on this trajectory in his early years at the University of Nairobi. Then a speedy winger, he ditched rugby in 2016 at the advice of a team-mate who believed he could excel in sprints.
In his first race in 2016 in Mumias, he clocked an impressive 10.9 seconds in 100 metres, and the rest is history. Five years later, the third-born in a family of five boys is now a fans’ favourite.
In 2021, he broke the national record for that distance six times. The national record of 10.14 set by Mark Otieno in 2015 was the first to go after Omanyala ran 10.02 at the national trials for Tokyo Olympic Games in June. He improved his time to 10.01 at the 2020 Olympics during the 100m Heats on July 31 and brought it down to 10.00 in the semi-finals on August 1 in Tokyo, Japan. Two weeks later, Ferdinand, the first Kenyan to compete in a 100 metres race at the Olympics after Donald Onchiri in 1996, dipped under 10 seconds for the first time. He posted 9.96 in the semi-finals of the Josko Running meeting in Austria before winning the final in 9.86 on August 14. His career was now on a phenomenal rise.
He recorded yet another high on September 18 when he finished second at the Kip Keino Classic by timing 9.77. With this, he shattered the African record of 9.84 set by South African Akani Simbine.
His time was enough to see him finish the year as the fastest man in Africa, the second fastest man in the world in 2021 and the eighth fastest man of all time behind Jamaican Usain Bolt (9.58), American Tyson Gay (9.69), Jamaicans Yohan Blake (9.69) and Asafa Powell (9.72) and Americans Justin Gatlin (9.74), Christian Coleman (9.76) and Bromell (9.76).
After four months and 17 days of no competition, Ferdinand returned with a bang during the Meeting Elite de Miramas in France when he set a new record at the Stadium Miramas Métropole in his first ever indoor 60-metre race.
He erased the meet record of 6.68 set by Iran’s fastest man Hassan Taftian after he ran 6.65 in the semi-finals and then improved it to 6.63 in the final. In the process, Omanyala also became the new national record holder over the distance after breaking the record of 6.70 set by compatriot Paulvince Obuon in 2005.
“I’m happy about my achievements. I know so many people followed that race live online and it makes me very proud. More athletes are beginning to try out sprints and moving out of their comfort zones,” says the University of Nairobi Bachelor of Science and Chemistry student.
Now that he seems unstoppable, Ferdinand has set his sights on breaking Usain Bolt’s world record of 9.58, but he is not just thinking about himself. He is also thinking of how to improve Kenyan sprints.
“I know Kenya is known for long distance running, which is already an industry of its own. However, we are behind in sprints. I want to be like a mentor to the young ones. I want to leave a lasting legacy, to break records and to inspire the generations that will come after me.
“I look forward to a time when qualifying for the Olympics in sprints will be a regular occurrence. I’d like us to reach a point where we have trouble selecting our best three sprinters because the pool of talented sprinters is just too large,” he says.
To realise the vision, Ferdinand plans to work with sponsors to invest in building stadiums and training camps.
“In these camps, qualified coaches will nurture talents from the age of 15 so that by the time a runner reaches 20, they are ripe for international competitions. That is what I plan to do once I retire.” For a long time, sprints in Kenya have not been paying dividends, but Omanyala is keen to change that.
A few days before he left Nairobi on February 1 to compete in 60 metres races in France, Omanyala disclosed he had signed a multi-million four-year deal with Adidas, the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe. The company will support him to achieve his dream of erasing Bolt’s record.
That was only a few weeks after his growing influence saw him partner with the Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF) as the African Ambassador for the Vaccinate Our World (VOW) campaign aimed at increased access to COVID-19 vaccines.
The year 2021 was a great one for Omanyala as he was also conferred with the prestigious Order of the Grand Warrior (OGW) by President Kenyatta during Jamhuri Day celebrations. On Twitter, the man has over 17, 000 followers, 27,900 followers on Instagram and over 10,000 on Facebook. He doesn’t speak much about it, but he is a member of the General Service Unit Recce Squad.
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