Omanyala misses podium as Coleman triumphs over Lyles in World Indoor Championships 60m final

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ATHLETICS Omanyala misses podium as Coleman triumphs over Lyles in World Indoor Championships 60m final

Festus Chuma 08:00 - 02.03.2024

Coleman won the 60m final at the World Indoor Championships, defeating Lyles, while Omanyala narrowly missed a podium spot.

Ferdinand Omanyala narrowly missed out on the podium at the World Indoor Championships as Christian Coleman emerged victorious in the highly anticipated 60m final beating star sprinter Noah Lyles.

Omanyala, who had displayed some shaky performances in the heats and semifinals, managed to secure a fourth-place finish with a time of 6.56 seconds.

The race witnessed a stunning upset as Coleman, the world-record holder in the 60m and a former world champion in the 100m, delivered a blistering performance to clinch the gold medal in 6.41 seconds, marking the fastest time of the year.

Lyles, a three-time gold medalist at the outdoor world championships, settled for silver with a time of 6.44 seconds, while Jamaica's Ackeem Blake claimed bronze in 6.46 seconds.

Despite his commendable efforts, Omanyala was unable to break into the top three positions.

The Commonwealth champion had shown promise with a strong performance in the semifinals, where he clocked 6.52 seconds, the same time he had recorded in the heats.

However, his quest for a medal ultimately fell short as he finished just outside the podium spots.

Meanwhile, Lyles who had set his sights on winning world titles at 60, 100, and 200 meters in the same year, expressed satisfaction with his silver medal.

"To run 6.44, I am very impressed with myself," he said. "This indoor season has been great for me, and I'm excited to see what the rest of the year holds

It was a great run," he said. "To run 6.44, I am very impressed with myself. I've run three rounds today, and what a great indoor season," the American sprinter said.

For Coleman, the victory was a testament to his confidence and determination. "I had a lot of confidence in myself coming in," he commented. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to compete and to come out with a win. There's still a lot of work to be done, and I'm looking forward to the challenges ahead."

Looking ahead, Omanyala remains focused on his goals and with the Paris Olympics on the horizon he is determined to build on his success and aim for greater heights in the coming months.

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