Commonwealth champion Ferdinand Omanyala produced a world lead this season after clocking 9.79 in the 100m race at the Nyayo Stadium on Saturday, June 15, 2023.

Mark Otieno, a former national champion in the distance, came in second during the national Olympic trials in Nairobi. Omanyala, however, had already qualified for the Paris Olympic Games, and the games are acting as his preparation for the global showpiece.

“This is a warning to so many people in the world of what could happen in the next three months,” Omanyala told the press after the race.

Otieno, who recorded 10.12 seconds, is confident despite failing to outshine Omanyala.

“It is not over until it is over. There is still time, and I go back to work on improving my time,” the sprinter told the press.

Elsewhere, Emmanuel Wanyonyi ran the fastest time in the 800m at Nyayo Stadium after tripping on Friday and missing the podium finish.

The world 800m silver medalist ran the fastest time in the world since David Rudisha’s retirement, recording a world-leading and personal best time of 1:41.27.

“I tripped yesterday and I fell, and as you can see, my leg is swollen, I didn’t want to repeat the same mistake.

“I learned to just run my race, and I told myself that anything happens for a reason, and I told myself that anything can happen today, and I might be tripped again and miss the Olympics just like that.

“I feel good, and I’m training well with the hope that God will give us good health and help us run well at the Olympics,” Wanyonyi said with a sigh of relief written on his face.

Krop hopeful

Finally, after finishing second in the 5000m, world bronze medallist Jacob Krop has promised to work hard and shine in Paris.

Krop booked his Paris ticket after timing 13:27.54 and coming second to Ronald Kwemoi, while Edwin Kurgat was third in a 13:27.75 time.

“This is my first time making the cut to the Olympic team, and I want my fans to expect something good. To bring the medals back home, we shall practice teamwork and invest more time in training.

“Everything is possible, and I know it’s not easy, but we shall work hard in training and see how things work out. I went to Japan, and my stay there has been great since they always give me ample time to even come back to Kenya and train,” Krop said.

Going into the global showpiece, Krop and his teammates carry huge pressure given that Kenya last won a gold medal in the race over 35 years ago in Seoul, South Korea.

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