BY TEDDY MULEI
Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala, is eyeing a powerful return to the global stage at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
The 28-year-old sprint sensation has already secured his spot with a 9.88-second place performance at the Silesia Diamond League in August, comfortably meeting the 10.00 qualifying standard.
After falling short at the Par- is Olympics, he is determined to make amends in the city where he made his Olympic debut in 2021.
“My eyes are on the Tokyo World Championships, and of course, I’ve qualified,” he said.
Omanyala has struggled to post good results in his past two appearances at the World Championships.
At Eugene 2022, he missed out on the final after finishing fifth ( 10.14 ) in his heat. Fred Kerley led a USA podium sweep finish- ing in 9.86 just ahead of Mar- vin Bracy ( 9.88 ) and Trayvon Bromell ( 9.88 ).
He fell short in Budapest Hungary, last year, bowing out in the semifinals with a 10.01 third-place finish.
Lyles ( 9.83 ), Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo of Botswana ( 9.88 ) and Brit- ain’s Zharnel Hughes ( 9.88 ) claimed the podium.
Omanyala intends to start his preparations in the coming weeks.
“I have not started prepa- rations for the 2025 season yet since I am still up and down trying to sort out my businesses and trying to make the Omany- ala Foundation work,” he said.
“My six weeks (break) and it has only been two now.”
He is clear-eyed about the les- sons from past defeats.
“2024 was a good season. A season of learning. I picked up many invaluable lessons that I in- tend to use to better myself in the future,” he said.
Omanyala will be buoyed by the fact that he ended 2024 with the second-fastest time in the World ( 9.79, alongside Lyles) just be- hind Olympic silver med- allist Kishane Thompson of Jamaica ( 9.77 ).
On Paris, he said: “You can’t get too comfortable in this sport. I thought I was at the top, but miss- ing the final was a wake-up call.One small mistake can throw you off.”
“I can’t change what happened, but I’ve learned from every race and I’m ready to move forward.”