Imeta hoping to run alongside Omanyala in Budapest

Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) sprinter Samwel Imeta clocked 10.22 seconds to finish behind African record holder Ferdinand Omanyala in the second Athletics South Africa (ASA) Grand Prix on Wednesday 20 April.

The sprinter who ran 9.44 seconds in the second Athletics Kenya (AK) but the time was not ratified due to a faulty wind gauge, is chasing the all-important 10.00 seconds, the qualification time for the World Championships in Budapest.

As he prepares to go up against Omanyala for the third time this month at the Botswana Continental Tour, Imeta maintains that the target remains qualifying for Budapest.

“The race was good. I am trying to qualify for the World Championships in Budapest later this year. Omanyala is running fast and Kenya is producing more sprinters so I am hoping to achieve that feat. Competing in South Africa has been good for me. The facilities are good and the coaches, and training fields are some of the best. Ultimately, it would be my pleasure to run with Omanyala in Budapest,” Imeta said after Wednesday’s race.

Omanyala lowers season best in South Africa as Imeta completes 1-2 finish for Kenya

The 100m men’s list in Botswana is loaded and might be just what the military man needs to push for the time he needs. With Omanyala the fastest on the field going by his PB, Imeta will also be up against the world medalist. 

The field contains five men with sub-10-second PBs and features world silver medalist, Marvin Bracy, World and Olympic 200m silver medalist Kenny Bednarek as well as Canada’s world 4x100m champion Aaron Brown.

Meanwhile, Omanyala says his target of running a sub-10 before the worlds is still on course.

“We cannot lose our focus after two or three races. The important thing is that we finished the race healthy and a win is a win. It is faster than last week. We will cut the seconds as we draw closer to the Worlds. We remain on track to run a new African record,” he offered after his second rave in South Africa in a week.