Why Ferdinand Omanyala is unfazed by Noah Lyles’ indoor season switch
.jpg)
Reading Time: 2min | Fri. 30.01.26. | 13:00
Omanyala says that his focus remains firmly on his own preparation rather than monitoring what his rivals are doing
Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, has played down Noah Lyles’ decision to tweak his indoor season approach.
Follow Our WhatsApp Channel For More News
Omanyala insisted that his focus remains firmly on his own preparation rather than monitoring what his rivals are doing.
Lyles, the reigning Olympic 100m champion, has traditionally used the indoor season to sharpen his explosive starts through the 60m dash.
This year, however, the American has opted for a different route, opening his 2026 campaign over 300m at the Jimmy Carnes Invitational in Gainesville, Florida, where he stormed to victory in a blistering 32.60 seconds.
The 300m outing marked Lyles’ return to the distance for the first time since 2017.
He followed it up with another 300m race at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix last weekend, finishing second behind Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards.
Last season, Lyles also experimented with his range by stepping up to the 400m at the Tom Jones Invitational, where he placed fifth, showing his willingness to test himself across distances.
While Lyles’ switch has sparked conversation in sprint circles, Omanyala is still unmoved.
The Kenyan speedster began his own season at the Meeting de Paris Indoor, where he clocked a season-best 6.77 seconds to finish fourth in the 60m heats.
Oman’s Ali Al Balushi claimed top honors in the race in 6.52.
For Omanyala, comparisons with competitors offer little value at this stage of the season. He believes that every elite sprinter operates within a unique training environment, making direct parallels unnecessary and, at times, misleading.
“I don’t like spending time looking at my competitors or comparing notes because everyone is in a completely different camp with different programs and priorities.
For us, the focus is on maintaining our goals and trusting the work we are doing,” he told Mozzart Sport.
The Commonwealth Games defending champion further emphasized that his team’s attention is centered on execution and physical readiness rather than external narratives.
“All our energy is directed towards our own lanes and our own bodies, making sure we execute our plan properly, rather than worrying about what anyone else is doing,” he added.
.jpg)
