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Two of the fastest African sprinters Ferdinand Omanyala and Akani Simbine have had contrasting fortunes on the international stage for their respective nations.
Kenyan sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala has recently made history at the 2025 World Relays Championships, helping Team Kenya qualify for the World Championships in Tokyo in September.
However, South African sprint rival Akani Simbine went a step further, leading his country to qualify for the same championships while claiming gold in the same event.
With Omanyala's Kenyan team poised for a showdown in September in Tokyo, Pulse Sports takes a look at three ways in which Omanyala can emulate Simbine to lead his country to glory.
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16:00 - 12.05.2025
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1. Consistent International Performances
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While Omanyala is Africa's fastest man on paper, his encounters with Simbine on the international stage have shown the South African sprinter to be better acclimatized.
This season's early encounters have seen Simbine get the better of Omanyala, with clashes in the Xiamen and Shanghai Diamond Leagues, where Simbine claimed both 100m events.
Even at the just-concluded World Relays, Simbine outshone Omanyala, who in his own right also achieved history with Kenya—a nation mostly known for its long-distance excellence and not sprinting.
Akani has consistently reached finals at major championships, including the Olympics, World Championships, and Commonwealth Games, placing South Africa on the sprinting map even without always winning medals.
Omanyala has often impressed on home soil, but his international form has been underwhelming.
With the African pair lining up again early in the campaign, if Omanyala can get into his groove and emulate Simbine's form on the international stage, it might just be the boost Kenya needs to go a step further.
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08:27 - 12.05.2025
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2. Tactical Race Execution
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Simbine is known for his calm, calculated starts and strong finishes, managing races intelligently—as seen on the anchor leg of most of South Africa’s 4x100m relay teams.
Together with the likes of Bayanda Walaza, this tactical execution has led Team South Africa to glory, including an Olympic silver medal.
If Omanyala can become this anchor point for Kenya by sharpening his race tactics and focusing on execution under pressure, the 2021 Commonwealth Games champion can become a reliable medal contender and elevate Kenya’s global sprinting credibility in the relays.
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21:30 - 11.05.2025
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3. Leadership
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Akani Simbine has taken up the role of a mentor and leader in South Africa’s sprinting circles, inspiring young athletes and advocating for the sport.
While Omanyala has also shown these qualities in Kenya's sprinting circle, the necessity cannot be stressed enough—and he needs to keep at it.
Omanyala can use his platform to mentor upcoming Kenyan sprinters, push for better training programs, and promote sprinting as a viable path in a country dominated by distance running.
With the 2025 Tokyo World Championships coming in September, Omanyala has an opportunity to showcase his mettle against the world's best by leading Kenya to glory—just as Simbine has done for South Africa.
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