Rabat Diamond League: Wanyonyi and Omanyala headline Kenyan squad
By Luke Oluoch, May 21, 2025Kenyan track stars Ferdinand Omanyala and 800m defending champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi will carry the Kenyan flag in the upcoming edition of the Diamond League race in Rabat, Morocco.
The race is scheduled to go down this Sunday, May 25, 2025, in the North African nation.
In the men’s 800 m, Wanyonyi will face a strong track team comprising the Botswana duo of Kethobogile Haingura and Tshepiso Masalela.
Masalela heads into the race on a strong footing off a world-leading time of 1:43.11 that saw him clinch the recent meeting in Doha’s 800 m race.
The Olympic finalist star produced a well-timed run to win ahead of the USA’s Bryce Hoppel and Kenya’s Wycliffe Kinyamal.
Wanyonyi will have the company of compatriots Aaron Kemei Cheminingwa and Commonwealth Champion Kinyamal to help him contend with the challenge.
Kinyamal targets an an improved outing after misjudging his homestretch kick to relinquish his lead to the Botswana man in Doha.
In the women’s category, Uganda’s Halimah Nakaayi will battle it out against Ethiopia’s Tsige Duguma and Prudence Sekgodiso of South Africa in the absence of Kenya’s Mary Moraa.
Omanyala vs Simbine
Meanwhile, Omanyala and South Africa’s Akani Simbine will renew their rivalry in the 100 m races.
Omanyala, who holds the African record in the short race, will be out to stretch his fine form in the races held on African soil.
The Kenyan has beaten Simbine twice at home (Nairobi) and in Mauritius in June 2022 and hopes he can extend the fine form on the motherland continent in Rabat.
Star-studded 100m track
Other than his recent impressive showing in the Diamond League in Xiamen and at his native South Africa, Simbine also beat Omanyala on April 13 in the Botswana Golden Prix.
Others in the star-studded squad include Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, Fred Kerley from the USA, Emmanuel Eseme of Cameroon, and South Africa’s Shaun Maswanganyi.
Other Kenyans set to light up the Rabat race are Brian Komen. Komen is set to make his 2025 debut in the 1500 meters after marking an impressive breakout season in 2024.
Olympic Champion Beatrice Chebet will also compete in the 3000 m.
More Articles
