2024 World Indoor Championships: The formidable cast Ferdinand Omanyala is up against in Glasgow

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ATHLETICS 2024 World Indoor Championships: The formidable cast Ferdinand Omanyala is up against in Glasgow

Joel Omotto 07:48 - 28.02.2024

Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala has his work cut out as he is up against tough opponents at this weekend’s World Indoor Championship in Glasgow, Scotland.

Ferdinand Omanyala has a tough task at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow this weekend as he is up against formidable opponents in the 60m, led by world 100m champion Noah Lyles.

Three men in the star-studded cast have run under 6.50 seconds with Lyles having the fastest time in the world this year after clocking 6.43 to win the US Track and Field Indoor Championships in New Mexico this month.

On the day, Lyles beat 60m world record holder Christian Coleman who managed 6.44 and the two go into the race as the favourites to clinch gold.

Coleman holds the World Indoor record of 6.34 recorded at the US Indoor Championships in 2018 and is seeking to get his revenge against Lyles in Glasgow this weekend.

However, Ackeem Blake, the second fastest Jamaican ever, will be no pushover as he also comes with a personal best of 6.45, posing a challenge to the American duo.

Kenya’s Omanyala will also fancy his chances after a good start to his season following back-to-back 60m indoor national records in France in over a week.

The Commonwealth Games champion retained his title at the Meeting de Paris Indoor event in a national record of 6.51 seconds this month, coming just 10 days after he had shattered his own national record by running 6.52 seconds at the Elite Indoor Track Meeting in Miramas.

He, therefore, heads to Glasgow high on confidence and has the advantage of having raced against Lyles and Coleman in recent times.

Also heading to Glasgow with a 6.51 is American Ronnie Baker, who finished third behind Lyles and Coleman at the US event, while another American Emmanuel Matadi, and Japanese Shuhei Tada, who both have a personal bests of 6.53, will be hoping to upset the formbook.

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