Cheating Plagues Kip Keino Classic 2024 as Ferdinand Omanyala Gets Away with Foul Play

April 20 was a crucial day for Ferdinand Omanyala as it marked the sixth edition of the Kip Keino Classic. Omanyala performed on the tracks, displaying lightning speed that surpassed all contenders, including Kenneth Bednarek and Mark Otieno. He clinched the first position, securing the top spot on the podium at Nyayo National Stadium.

However, what Ferdinand saw as an opportunity transformed into an unexpected controversy. As soon as Ferdinand Omanyala crossed the finish line, the race was overshadowed by the accusation of a false start. Within hours of completing the race, a fervent debate surrounding Omanyala began.

As soon as Owen M came across the conversation, he could not resist diving in. To participate, he penned, “Ferdinand Omanyala quite clearly false started. It’s a home meet, so I don’t blame the officials for keeping him in.” While most of the spectators agreed to accuse Ferdinand of a false start, some even blamed officials. However, for Ferdinand, this is not something new.

Sharing a not-so-well-known instance among spectators, one commenter, your boy Jemz, penned, “Not the first time it’s happened, he did it against Fred Kerley too in like 2022 in Kenya I believe.” Yes, indeed, this is the second time Ferdinand finds himself in the tsunami of debates regarding a false start.

What happened two years back?

Last time, he did the same in May 2022 at the Nairobi Kip Keino Classic where he competed against the current world 100m champion and Olympic silver medalist Fred Kerley. Once again, he opted for a false start and ended up standing atop the podium. In the process, he even surpassed Fred Kerley while clocking 9.85 seconds.

Despite securing an impressive win, Ferdinand faced accusations of making a false start at the event, casting doubt on his success. Clearly, this is the second instance of similar happenings, posing a potential threat to Ferdinand’s career as he stands as the third fastest racer globally, according to the World Athletics report. But, the question remains: Did he really make a false start, as mentioned by many commentators, or was it just a controversy to tarnish his reputation? Comment down below.