Omanyala in as Athletics Kenya invites over 300 for Olympic trials

Ferdinand Omanyala is among the 386 athletes from across the country who have been invited by Athletics Kenya for a three-day trial for the Tokyo Olympic Games that will be held at The Moi International Sports Stadium, Kasarani in Nairobi from June 17 to June 19.

The trials will kick off on June 17 at 9 AM and will incorporate two sessions with a break at 11 AM. The third day will culminate with the team being named in the afternoon.

The 23-year old was banned in 2017 by the Anti-doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) after testing positive for glucocorticoid betamethasone, a substance banned by World Anti-Doping Agency. He went ahead to serve a 14-month ban but returned on a high clocking 10.01 at an Athletics meet in Lagos, Nigeria though it was not ratified as the Nigerian Athletics federation disowned the event.

In what could be considered a change of heart by the federation bosses, Omanyala has made it to the list of 100m trialists where he is expected to renew his rivalry with Mark Otieno and seven other sprinters.

Before the trials, Athletics Kenya will hold mandatory seminars in conjunction with the Athletics Integrity Unit and Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya for three days in three different locations. On June 10, the seminar will be held at Nairobi then on June 11 and 12 at Eldoret and Kericho respectively for all the invited athletes.

All eyes will be on the 10000M women that has been the talk of town the last three days as the world record got broken twice in two days. Sifan Hassan clocked a world 10,000m record of 29:06.82 in Hengelo while Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey improved the mark by five seconds during Ethiopian Olympics trials on Tuesday at the same venue

Agnes Jibet, Hellen Obiri, Rosemary Wanjiru, and Sheila Chepkirui are among the frontrunners for the chance to compete against the two record breakers at the Olympics.

The men's race in the same discipline will be a hotly contested one with the search for the elusive Olympics gold medal in this category still ongoing. Rhonex Kipruto, Rodgers Kwemoi, Benard Kibet, and Geoffrey Kamworor are some of the names that will be garnering for the ticket to face off against Uganda's Joshua Cheptegei.

During the trials, the first two to finish in each event will receive automatic selection as long as they have hit the qualifying standards as stipulated by World Athletics and have undergone mandatory anti-doping education and testing as it is required by the Athletics Integrity of World Athletics.