Nairobi — African record holder and Commonwealth Games 100m champion Ferdinand Omanyala has vowed to shatter his own African record of 9.77 at the Kip Keino Classic World Athletics Continental Gold Tour event in May.
Omanyala set the mark at the Classic in 2021, finishing second behind Trayvon Brommel at the Moi Sports Centre Kasarani.
And now, in the same venue and same event in a new year, Omanyala has targeted to dip lower.
“I want to break my African record at the Kip Keino Classic,” Omanyala told Capital Sport.
He is travelling to South Africa in April for a training camp where he will compete in two races; on the 12th and 19th, before he travels to Botswana, for his opening round of the Continental Gold Tour.
“My target heading to South Africa is to run under 9.8 in both races as well as the Continental Gold event in Botswana. When I come to Nairobi for the Kip Keino Classic, my target is to run under 9.77 and that means breaking my record,” Omanyala said.
He added; “From now on, I am just targeting sub 10s because I am building up towards the World Championships and I want to warn the other athletes that I am going to win the World Championships. I am in very good shape and if I can maintain this for the next six months, I will achieve the dream.”
Omanyala says he is not worried much about the opposition he will face, especially with the on-form Americans. “I am not looking at anybody. This year, it is just me against the time,” he says.
