Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, ruled the Kip Keino Classic 2026 to snatch the gold medal and clock his second sub-10 of the season in the 100 metres race.
The fierce showdown saw the Kenyan international start off in almost slow motion, only to bounce back brilliantly and post a 9.96 at a vibrant Nyayo National Stadium on Friday, April 24, 2026.
The contest was nerve-racking for the home favourite as he had to hold his composure following two false starts where South Africa’s national champion Gift Leotlela was disqualified, leaving a reshuffled lineup for the decisive third go.
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Omanyala, who picked up sharply from the blocks, increased the pace at the halfway mark to surge through for the win under the lights.
Rivaldo Roberts of South Africa finished second in 10.12 seconds, while Aaron Brown of Canada rounded out the podium in 10.15 seconds.
“It’s exciting seeing this progression for me. It’s truly rewarding, and I’m happy with how my body is responding and everything. And a sub-10, that’s really important, because it will elevate my ranking going forward,” Omanyala said after the race.
He admitted he was a bit nervous and wanted to prove to the crowd that he could reclaim the title. And he delivered.
“We’ve lost this twice in a row, so I didn’t know what to expect today, but I think I just fed into that energy.”
That was a sensational run for the Commonwealth champion, who has now secured sub-10 achievements with less than two weeks apart this coming just after clocking 9.98 seconds at the Addis Ababa Grand Prix, his first dip under 10 seconds in over 20 months.
It also marks a comeback from last year’s setbacks. Plagued by injuries and inconsistency, he struggled to break the 10-second barrier, managing a modest 10.07 for third place at the 2025 Kip Keino Classic held at the Ulinzi Sports Complex.