Ferdinand Omanyala, Mercy Oketch Inspire Kenya's Strong Showing at Lefika International Relays

Ferdinand Omanyala and Mercy Oketch led Team Kenya to the Lefika International Relays in pursuit of qualification for the World Athletics Relays scheduled for Gaborone, Botswana, on May 2 and 3.

Following a disrupted indoor season affected by injury, the reigning Commonwealth Games champion aimed to bounce back with a strong performance in Botswana and help Kenya strengthen its qualification bid.

He was joined by a competitive Kenyan squad featuring Millicent Ndoro, Boniface Mweresa, Meshack Babu, Dennis Mwai, Allan Kipyego, Danson Kibet, Naomi Mwangi, and Mercy Chebet, all looking to make an impact on the international stage and secure their place at the global event.

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Team Nigeria produced a standout performance in the mixed 4x100m relay, storming to victory in a new national record time of 41.44 seconds.

The Nigerian quartet of Chidera Ezeakor, Maria Thompson Omokwe, James Emmanuel, and Jennifer Chukwuka executed smooth baton exchanges and strong sprint finishes to edge out the competition in Gaborone, securing first place in a tightly contested race.

Team Kenya pushed them all the way and finished second, also setting a national record of 41.70 seconds in an impressive showing.

The Kenyan team featured Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, alongside Mercy Oketch, who anchored the team strongly to the finish line. Boniface Mweresa and Millicent Ndoro also played key roles in the record-breaking effort.

Despite narrowly missing out on gold, Kenya dislodged Spain from 13th place in the global Road to Botswana rankings and now need to hold onto that position until April 5 to officially secure qualification.

In the men’s 4x100m relay, Ferdinand Omanyala delivered a strong finishing leg as he anchored Team Kenya to a closely fought second-place finish behind Nigeria in an exciting sprint showdown.

Team Nigeria, made up of Enoch Adegoke, Chidera Ezeakor, Tejiri Godwin, and James Emmanuel, produced a sharp and well-coordinated performance to take victory in a winning time of 38.98 seconds, holding off strong late pressure from their rivals.

Kenya followed in second place, clocking 39.12 seconds after a competitive run that kept them within touching distance throughout the race, while hosts Botswana completed the podium in third position with a time of 39.31 seconds.

Kenya’s 4×400m relay team delivered a commanding performance to secure the country’s first gold medal at the Lefika International Relays, with an impressive winning time of 3:14.04.

The quartet of Allan Kipyego, Mercy Chebet, Kevin Kipkorir, and anchor runner Mercy Oketch combined speed and strong baton exchanges to dominate the race from start to finish.

Nigeria finished second in 3:16.33, while South Africa took third place in 3:20.07. Hosts Botswana came in fourth with a time of 3:26.27 in the closely contested final.

Kenya delivered an impressive performance in the men’s 4×400m relay, holding their lead to secure victory in their heat and ultimately clinching gold.

The quartet of George Mutinda, Danson Kibet, Erastus Mbaluka, and Alan Kipyego showed strong teamwork and determination throughout the race. Zimbabwe pushed hard and finished a close second, making it a highly competitive and exciting final.

More to follow…