Meshack Babu credits Omanyala for raising Kenya's sprinting standards
Reading Time: 3min | Sat. 27.06.26. | 17:56
His performance earned him a place in Kenya's relay squad alongside Omanyala, Mark Otieno, Zablon Ekwam, and Elkana Sabila
Two-time national champion Meshack Babu believes competing alongside Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, has transformed Kenya’s sprinting landscape.
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The 2024 Africa Military Games 100m champion credited Omanyala for inspiring a new generation to chase faster times.
Babu earned his place in Kenya’s team for the 2026 Commonwealth Games after an impressive showing at the Athletics Kenya National Championships and Commonwealth Games trials.
He will represent the country in both the men's 100m and the 4x100m relay in Glasgow, Scotland.
The sprinter began his campaign by winning his heat in 10.21 seconds to advance to the semifinals comfortably. He then clocked 10.28 seconds to finish second behind Omanyala, who crossed the line in 10.13 seconds.
In the final, Babu once again finished runner-up, posting 10.20 seconds as Omanyala stormed to victory in 10.00 seconds to secure the national title.
His performance earned him a place in Kenya's relay squad alongside Omanyala, Mark Otieno, Zablon Ekwam, and Elkana Sabila.
Babu said his progress this season has been driven largely by the standards Omanyala continues to set, noting that regularly racing against the African record holder has pushed him to elevate his own performances.
"My performances this season have been encouraging. Having Ferdinand Omanyala around pushes all of us to run faster. Achieving the Commonwealth Games qualification standard is my biggest accomplishment so far," Babu started.
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"Last year, I didn't race against him as often, and he also didn't have his best season. This year, he's running much faster times, and that's the biggest motivation for the rest of us,” he continued.
According to Babu, watching Omanyala consistently deliver world-class performances has inspired Kenya's sprinters to believe they too can compete with the world's best.
"Seeing him perform at that level inspires those of us chasing him to keep improving and lower our own times," he said.
Despite the challenges athletes encounter on their journey, Babu insists persistence remains the key to success.
"No matter the challenges we face, we never give up. We keep believing that one day, all the hard work and sacrifices will make sense,” he offered.
Omanyala's remarkable rise has fundamentally changed perceptions of Kenyan athletics, a nation traditionally celebrated for its dominance in middle and long-distance running.
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The African record holder boasts a personal best of 9.77 seconds in the 100m, making him the ninth-fastest man in history over the distance.
In a recent eight-day span, he clocked 9.98 seconds in Addis Ababa, 9.96 seconds in Nairobi, and a season-best 9.95 seconds in Gaborone, underlining his consistency at the elite level.
His achievements include becoming the first Kenyan to win a Diamond League 100m race with a 9.92-second run in Monaco in 2023. He also ended Kenya's 60-year wait for a Commonwealth Games men's 100m gold medal and has claimed the African Championships title.
Beyond the 100m, Omanyala also holds the African 150m record of 14.70 seconds and the Kenyan indoor 60m record of 6.51 seconds, milestones that continue to inspire the country's emerging sprint stars such as Babu.