Kenya’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala lived up to expectationas on Saturday evening clocked 9.76s to break the African fastest time in the 100m and Kenya’s 100m National record for the 5th time at the Kip Keino Classic at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani .

American Trayvon Bromwel won the race in 9.75 ahead of Omanyala’s African record, with  former Olympics 100m champion Justin Gatlin finishing third in 10.02. Omanyala also smashed South Africa Akani Simbine’s African record of 9.84 seconds.

“It has truly been a great season! I am excited that I close the season with my last race on home soil. The past few months have gone by so fast, with so many things changing, but the one thing that has been constant is growth! Growth can’t exist in comfort, push yourself, go for it, you can do it, you owe it to yourself, you deserve it” Ferdinand said.

 

In what has been a fantastic season for the 25 year old, Omanyala finished 3rd in the Semi-final heat at the Olympics, broke his own national record again running a sub 10 seconds in the 100m race at the Int. JOSKO Laufmeeting, Pramtalstadion, Andorf, shattering his own national record twice in a day in Austria first with a time of 9.96 in the semi-final and he went faster in the final running an impressive time of 9.86, becoming the first Kenyan to smash the sub 10 seconds mark in an athlete meet and becoming the 3rd fastest African of all time, he also joins an elite group of sprinters including the world’s fastest human Usain Bolt, to achieve that feat. He is the first truly world class Kenyan sprinter for many years

Justin Gatlin was among the first people to pay tribute to Omanyala for his stellar performance.

“He used the hometown support really well. I believe Omanyala will be a force to reckon with,” he said.

The University of Kenya student Ferdinand competed in the Kenyan university championships and was part of the team that represented the Kenyan University sports association.