What Ferdinand Omanyala will be awarded after missing a medal at World Indoor Championships

Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala failed to clinch a medal at the 2024 World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland on Friday night but did not go home empty-handed.

Omanyala narrowly missed out on silverware in the 60m dash as he came home in fourth place behind Americans Christian Coleman and Noah Lyles and Jamaican Ackeem Blake who claimed first, second and third potions in that order.

The Commonwealth Champion had stormed into the final after finishing second behind Lyles in the third semi-final heat but he was slow off the blocks when it mattered most and paid the price.

Omanyala will, however, take home $8,000 (Ksh1,152,079) for his fourth place finish given World Athletics has prize money for the top six finishers in Glasgow.

It is close to the $7,000 (Ksh1,008,069) Omanyala was awarded at last year’s World Championships when he also failed to sparkle in the final, having finished a disappointing seventh.

The Kenyan sprinter would have banked much more had he finished on the podium given Coleman took home $40,000 (Ksh5,760,398) for his victory with Lyles banking $20,000 (Ksh2,880,199) while Blake will be awarded $10,000 (Ksh1,440,099).

Omanyala had clocked 6.52 seconds in the heats and semi-finals in what promised an even faster time in the 60m men’s final but managed a slower time of 6.56 seconds in the final behind Blake, who clocked 6.46 to claim the bronze medal.

Coleman got his revenge on his compatriot Lyles by clocking a world lead 6.41 seconds to win gold while the world 100m champion, and pre-race favourite, settled for sliver in a time of 6.44 seconds.

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