Ferdinand Omanyala Explains What Gives Him Confidence of Historic Commonwealth Title Defence

Africa's fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, showcased his championship credentials on Saturday, successfully defending his national 100m title at the Athletics Kenya National Championships, which also served as the Commonwealth Games trials.

The sprint king stormed to a decisive victory, clocking 10.00 seconds to leave a quality field in his wake. Meshack Babu finished a distant second in 10.20, while former national record holder Mark Otieno rounded out the podium with a time of 10.32.

Omanyala's performance was a significant improvement on his win at last year's championships, where he clocked 10.08 ahead of Steve Odhiambo (10.27) and Babu (10.31).

Following his triumph, the reigning Commonwealth champion noted a curious parallel to his previous success. "It’s a coincidence because the last time I went to the Commonwealth Games, I also ran the same time at the trials," Omanyala remarked.

In 2022, that trials performance preceded a historic gold medal win in Birmingham, where he ran 10.02 to defeat South Africa's Akani Simbine (10.13) and Sri Lanka's Yupun Abeykoon (10.14). The Kenyan star believes history may be poised to repeat itself in Glasgow.

"I don’t believe in coincidences, but I believe in history," he said. "You never know, the same thing may happen at the Commonwealth Games."

Omanyala also revealed his ambition to make history in Glasgow by becoming the first African man to successfully defend the Commonwealth 100m crown. "I am excited about the Commonwealth Games. There’s nothing that’s taking me there apart from history," he stated. "I want to be the first African to win it twice. That’s the history I am chasing."

With the national trials concluded, Omanyala's focus immediately shifts to his international schedule. He is set to compete at the FBK Games in Hengelo, Netherlands, on Monday. "I have a busy schedule. I will be leaving for the Netherlands tonight for the FBK Games," he confirmed.

In the women's 100m final, veteran sprinter Millicent Ndoro continued her reign over the domestic scene, surging to the national title in 11.52 seconds. Eunice Kadogo claimed second place with a time of 11.80, while Brenda Masitsa secured third in 11.84.

Ndoro expressed her satisfaction at booking her spot for the Glasgow showpiece. "The race was good. The aim was to get that ticket to Glasgow and I am happy," she said.

Looking ahead, the seasoned athlete is focused on reaching the final before aiming for a medal. "The target is to get to the finals first. After that, anything can happen," Ndoro explained. "I am also chasing good results and personal bests in Glasgow."

She identified her start as a key area for improvement in her preparations for the Games. "I want to improve my start. Once I get that, I am good to go."