Ferdinand Omanyala’s coach outlines his targets ahead of outdoor season
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Reading Time: 3min | Thu. 19.03.26. | 16:12
Despite 2026 shaping up as a relatively lighter year on the global athletics calendar, Omanyala still faces a packed schedule
Kenya’s sprint sensation Ferdinand Omanyala will be chasing a return to top form when the outdoor season gets underway, with his coach, Duncan Ayiemba, outlining an ambitious roadmap aimed at restoring the African record holder to his explosive best.
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Despite 2026 shaping up as a relatively lighter year on the global athletics calendar, Omanyala still faces a packed schedule.
Among the key assignments is the Kip Keino Classic set for Friday, 24 April at the Nyayo Stadium, a meet that has increasingly become a signature event for the African sprint sensation.
He is also expected to feature at the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone, Botswana, from Saturday, 2 to Sunday, 3 May, before turning his focus to defending his Commonwealth Games title in Glasgow, Scotland, between Thursday, 23 July and Sunday, 2 August.
Speaking to Mozzart Sport, Ayiemba made it clear that the immediate priority is helping Omanyala rediscover his sub-10-second speed in the 100m, a mark he surprisingly failed to hit last season.
“The first target is to break the sub-10 barrier because last season he struggled a bit. That is the starting point. Once he achieves that, I am confident he will skyrocket; his confidence will grow, and he will even push towards sub-9.9,” the tactician revealed.
Omanyala’s 2025 campaign showed flashes of brilliance but lacked the consistency that has defined his rise to continental dominance.
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He opened with a win at an Athletics Kenya meet in Thika, before clocking 10.22 for third place at the ASA Grand Prix I in South Africa. He bounced back with a 10.08 victory at the second leg, signalling a return to form.
He then maintained momentum at the Uganda National Trials, where he ran 10.02 in the 100m and played a key role in Kenya’s 4×100m relay triumph. He followed that with a 10.00-second run for second place at the Botswana Grand Prix, agonisingly close to breaking the sub-10 barrier.
On the global stage, Omanyala remained competitive in the Diamond League, finishing second in Xiamen (10.13), seventh in Shanghai (10.25), and third in Rome (10.01), repeatedly knocking on the door of sub-10 performances.
He also etched his name into the record books at the World Relays in Guangzhou, helping Kenya qualify for the men’s 4×100m relay at the World Championships for the first time in decades. Additionally, he set new Kenyan and African records in the 150m with a blistering 14.70 seconds at the Atlanta City Games.
Locally, Omanyala continued to assert his dominance, winning the 100m at the National Athletics Trials in 10.08 seconds before finishing second in the 200m (20.53) behind Zablon Ekwam.
However, beyond the times and podium finishes, Ayiemba noted that the biggest battle this season will be mental, restoring the confidence that appeared to dip toward the end of last year.
“He needs to return to his top form. Towards the end of last year, his confidence dropped, and he was not the Ferdinand I knew from previous years.
This season, my focus is on rebuilding that confidence, helping him run fast again, and getting him back to his best so he can shine. He is still Africa’s fastest man,” he offered.
The Kip Keino Classic, in particular, holds special significance for Omanyala, with Ayiemba describing it as a home stage where expectations are naturally higher.
“The Kip Keino Classic is like a home event for him; it is almost as if he owns it. So, he has to be at his very best to compete with the big names and international athletes,” he averred.