Africa U20 champion opens up on Omanyala's role in his burgeoning career
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Reading Time: 3min | Mon. 22.06.26. | 17:08
The rising sprinter saved his best for the final, producing a personal best of 10.33 seconds to finish fourth behind a field led by Omanyala, who won the race in 10.00 seconds
Africa U20 champion Clinton Aluvi has opened up about the experience of lining up against his mentor Ferdinand Omanyala, describing it as a dream come true after producing a personal best performance at the Athletics Kenya trials for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
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The youngster, who is a product of the Omanyala Foundation, was among the standout performers at the Athletics Kenya trials for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, where he held his own against some of the country's biggest sprint stars despite missing out on a place in Team Kenya.
Aluvi’s performance at the trials showcased his growing potential. He finished second in his heat after clocking 10.53 seconds before improving to 10.43 seconds in the semifinals, where he again placed second.
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The rising sprinter saved his best for the final, producing a personal best of 10.33 seconds to finish fourth behind a field led by Omanyala, who won the race in 10.00 seconds.
Although he narrowly missed qualification for the Commonwealth Games, Aluvi viewed the opportunity to compete against established names such as Omanyala, Mark Otieno and Meshack Babu as a major milestone in his development.
The performance was another chapter in a remarkable journey that has already seen him make history on the continental stage. On July 18, 2025, Aluvi became the first Kenyan to win gold in the men's 100m at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Under-20 Championships in Nigeria.
He stormed to victory in 10.42 seconds, ending Kenya’s long wait for success in an event traditionally dominated by sprint powerhouses South Africa, Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire.
Behind that historic achievement was the influence of Omanyala, whose foundation identified Aluvi during the 2024 Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) Games and has supported his development ever since.
“The role of Omanyala in my journey has been one for the books. He is the one who helped me through the Omanyala Foundation. He has been giving me spikes and kits and has been encouraging me.
Even when I was down and injured, he kept encouraging me that the injury would eventually heal. He still encourages me, and I am looking up to him,” he told Mozzart Sport.
The young sprinter admitted that sharing the track with his mentor in the final was both challenging and inspiring.
“Lining up against him in the finals was not easy. But I told myself that he is the fastest man in Africa in the seniors, and I am the fastest in the U20 category. No matter what, I would do my best,” he said.
Aluvi was delighted with his performance at the trials, especially after exceeding his own expectations by finishing fourth and registering a new personal best.
“I feel great because of my performance at the trials. It has not been easy, but I thank God. I did not even expect to come in fourth place or even set a personal best. I thank God, coaches, family, friends, and the physios who have been treating me,” he said.
Competing against Kenya’s elite sprinters also reinforced his belief that the next generation is ready to challenge for honours on bigger stages.
“Competing against the seniors has not been easy, but I thank them because they made me put in all the effort. Running against them made me register a good time and send a message that we juniors are also upcoming,” he added.
Having already lowered his personal best this season, Aluvi is determined to continue his upward trajectory and believes his best performances are still ahead of him.
“This season, I have registered a personal best, and next season I am coming in faster and stronger,” he promised.