ATLANTA, Georgia — Ferdinand Omanyala, Kenya’s sprint king, blazed into the history books once more on Saturday, setting a new African record in the rarely contested 150m at the Adidas Atlanta City Games.
The 29-year-old stormed down the straight in 14.70 seconds, fending off strong competition from Bahamian Terrence Jones (14.93) and American Matthew Boling (15.15), and adding yet another accolade to his name.
“It went great,” Omanyala said after the race, visibly pleased. “We’re just building it up slowly — it’s still early in the season.”
The win marks his second African record — he still holds the 100m title at 9.77 seconds. The 150m is not a standard championship event, but the sprint is gaining popularity as athletes test their range. And Omanyala didn’t just win. He led from the first step to the last, commanding the race with authority.
“My coach told me, ‘Get out of the blocks fast,’ and that’s exactly what I did,” he said. “Being a frontrunner, I just kept pushing.”
A Record-Breaking Run, and a Bigger Mission
The performance follows a string of solid outings by the Kenyan star. Earlier this season, he clocked 10.00 seconds in Botswana and 10.13 at the Diamond League meet in Xiamen. But it was last week’s achievement in the 4x100m relay that seemed to light a deeper fire.
For the first time since 1983, Kenya’s men’s sprint relay team — with Omanyala running anchor — qualified for the World Championships, set to be held in Tokyo later this year. The historic feat saw Omanyala team up with Boniface Mweresa, Steve Onyango, and Meshack Baabu.
“I loved it when we qualified,” he said, grinning at the memory. “You could see from the photos and videos — I was over the moon.”
But for Omanyala, this isn’t just about medals. It’s about legacy. “It’s my dream to grow as many sprinters as possible in Kenya,” he said. “Them going to the World Championships — that’s huge. They’ll come back different athletes.”
From Relay Hopeful to Record Holder
It wasn’t always like this. Omanyala began his athletics journey focused on relay dreams — never imagining he’d become Africa’s fastest man.
“When I started sprinting, I didn’t think I’d be a star in the 100m,” he said. “All my hope was in the relay.”
Now, with personal records, national pride, and continental titles in hand, he’s circling back to where it all began — helping the next generation of Kenyan sprinters find their lane.
“I’m really excited,” he said. “We’re inspiring generations.”
As Tokyo approaches, all eyes will be on Omanyala — and not just for what he does on the track, but for the team he’s building off it.
