L. MathekaGolden boy Omanyala wins African title
Reading Time: 1min | Thu. 09.06.22. | 16:14
He clinched his first major championship title in style.
Africa's 100m record holder Ferdinand Omanyala is the continent's champion, bagging his first-ever major championship title.
In a highly anticipated race where he was going up against defending champion South Africa's Akani Simbine, the Kenyan clocked 9.93 seconds for the victory.
3 thousandths of a second made the difference. Ferdinand Omanyala is the official fastest African on earth. #SomeoneTellTheWorld Kenya is rising, rising in sprints, from crime and even terrorism. #WajackoyahThe5th will be the final rising point.#JKLive|#AzimioLaMafundi
— Bazenga (@BazengaaKE) June 9, 2022
Mitumba pic.twitter.com/PDXf8KQAwp
The photo finish race saw Omanyala break the Championship Record (awaiting ratification given the wind at the stadium) to hand Kenya her first Africa 100 meters title since 1990.
Omanyala had a slow start but caught up with the leaders at about 60m and zoomed to the finish line beating Simbine who also clocked 9.93.
Finally!
— Ochieng' Stephen (@soo_ochieng) June 9, 2022
Ferdinand Omanyala becomes the new African 100m champion after beating South African outgoing champion Akani Simbine
Look how close that race was!🙌🏾#Omanyala pic.twitter.com/y7wfN9zVGf
Another South African Henricho Bruintjies claimed bronze in 10.01.
Omanyala’s feat saw him break Nigeria’s Seun Ogunkoya Championships Record of 9.94 set in 1998 Dakar, Senegal.
Joseph Gikonyo was the last Kenyan to win the African title in 1990 when he bagged a double in 100m and 200m.
