Ferdinand Omanyala Sends Plea to Government, Private Sponsors as He Raises Concerns Over Athlete Support

Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, has called on both the government and the private sector to strengthen their support for athletes ahead of a crucial period on the athletics calendar.

The Commonwealth Games hopeful has already begun his preparations for the global event and is set to compete in the men’s 100m final at the National Championships at Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday, June 20.

However, Omanyala has raised concerns over the current sponsorship structure, arguing that much of the corporate backing is directed towards Athletics Kenya rather than directly supporting the athletes tasked with delivering results on the international stage.

Speaking after his semifinal race, Ferdinand Omanyala expressed a desire to see more corporate sponsors engage directly with athletes, arguing that such support would have a more tangible impact on their careers and performance.

Omanyala noted that while funding often reaches federations, the benefits do not always trickle down to the athletes themselves.

He pointed out that many dedicated and hardworking competitors continue to miss out on crucial financial and logistical support despite their efforts and achievements, stressing that direct investment in athletes would help them better prepare for major competitions and unlock their full potential on the global stage.

“I wish they (corporate) could come directly to support individual athletes because, you know, sometimes it gets to the federations, but it doesn’t affect the athletes directly because there are athletes who are very hardworking but they do not get these (benefits),” he said.

Ferdinand Omanyala highlighted the need for greater investment in athletes, arguing that the rewards on offer at local competitions do not adequately reflect the level of effort required to compete at the highest level.

He suggested that stronger backing from corporate sponsors could help bridge that gap, particularly if support reached athletes more directly.

The African record holder also called on the Kenyan government and private sector to prioritise long-term preparations for major events such as the World Championships, stressing the importance of residential training camps and international exposure.

According to Omanyala, competing regularly against elite opposition abroad is crucial for athletes to gain the experience, confidence, and competitive edge needed to succeed on the global stage.

“Look at the national championships, you are only getting Ksh 20,000 for gold; to me that is a day’s spend. If we can have companies come and support directly (that would be great),” he said.

“My call to the Kenyan government and private sponsors is to have these teams in camps because we have the World Championships next year. We need to give these guys exposure to go and compete abroad because it’s very different.”