Track and field fans beaming after Ferdinand Omanyala and co bag historic World Championship slot
.jpg)
Reading Time: 3min | Mon. 12.05.25. | 15:52
Their time of 38.51 seconds, just behind Belgium, earned them a coveted place in Tokyo and cemented a major comeback for Kenya in the discipline
Kenyan track and field fans have every reason to celebrate after the national men’s 4x100m relay team sealed a historic qualification to the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Follow our WhatsApp channel for more news
This marks the first time in over four decades since 1983 that Kenya will be represented in the short sprint relay at the global event.
The quartet of Ferdinand Omanyala, Boniface Mweresa, Meshack Babu, and Steve Onyango delivered a thrilling performance during the final qualification round at the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China, on Sunday, 11 May.
Their time of 38.51 seconds, just behind Belgium, earned them a coveted place in Tokyo and cemented a major comeback for Kenya in the discipline.
The team narrowly missed automatic qualification during the Saturday heats, despite setting a new national record of 38.35 seconds. They, however, returned stronger and more determined on Sunday.
Their efforts not only earned them qualification but also shattered Kenya’s previous 4x100m national record of 39.28 seconds set in 2022 at the Africa Senior Championships in Mauritius.
The baton was expertly handled throughout the race. Mweresa opened strong, Omanyala dominated the back stretch, Babu navigated the curve, and Onyango powered through the anchor leg.
Back home, the fans could not hide their excitement.
One fan, Kamdooh, said he had always wondered why Kenya did not have relay teams and was happy to see that changing now.
"Good to see we now have a solid team," he said.
Another fan, Kaday, said, "I am very happy and congratulations to our team.” Beatrice Togoch also joined in, writing, "Congratulations to the team."
Biggzless Jones brought some humour to the celebration. He congratulated the athletes and asked President William Ruto to reward them, “Boss President Ruto atoe kakitu bana.”
Captain Kiget, while happy with the result, also shared his opinion that Omanyala should be the one to finish the race: “Great run ... but Omanyala should be the one finishing the quartet,” he said.
Khuyane Lincoln praised the team for showing that Kenya is not just dominant in long-distance races. “Kenya is showing they can do more than long-distance running,” he said.
Another fan, Yutuub, called it “the rise of the African sprinters,” while Masila compared it to the glory days of David Rudisha, saying, “It’s like Rudisha is back!”
Their success was followed by another historic moment for Kenya when the mixed 4x400m relay team clinched bronze, which was the country’s only medal at this year’s event.
Anchored by former national champion Mercy Adongo Oketch, alongside David Sanayek, Mercy Chebet, and Brian Onyari Tinega, the team clocked a season-best 3:13.10, securing not just a medal but also a place at the 2025 global showpiece.
.jpg)
