It’s no secret that Africa is home to legendary long-distance sprinters, who create records after records. They dominate 10,000-meters and marathon competitions and set the benchmark for other athletes. However, there is a new guy in town. Ferdinand Omanyala from Kenya is a sprinter on the rise. After a couple of convincing races, he is ready to take on the legendary Usain Bolt.
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When Bolt set the 100-meters record at the 2009 World Championships, it became hard for anyone to reach those times. But, after becoming the fastest African sprinter, he is ready to challenge that record and bring history to his continent. Omanyala is locked in!
Aiming to surpass Usain Bolt
At the 2022 African Athletics Championships, Omanyala defeated Akani Simbine from South Africa in a photo-finish at the end. The race finished in favor of the Kenyan as he crossed the line by just three-thousandths of a second. After both men clocked a time of 9.93 seconds, Omanyala’s final calculated time was 9.927 seconds. Now, he aims for the best; the Jamaican legend Usain Bolt.
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Meet the fastest man in Africa, @Ferdiomanyala hoping to beat @usainbolt's 100m world record 🏃🏿♂️ 🇰🇪#athleticsafrica pic.twitter.com/lvkSR64kU3
— BBC News Africa (@BBCAfrica) June 8, 2022
Moreover, when asked about his plans, Omanyala aims to reach for the stars. With the world record in sight, he looks set for a charge at the 2022 World Athletics Championships. He said, “The world record is not an exception and nothing is impossible in this world. I believe it will be broken and someone to break it is me because nobody believes that a Kenyan can sprint.”
Significantly, he talked about how the world record is incredible but can be conquered. However, it won’t be a straightforward task!
A sensational world record
The current best time in the 100-meters this year is 9.76, set by Trayvon Bromell. Omanyala comes second with a time of 9.77. But, the world record set by Bolt clocks at 9.58. The second-best time on the list comes with Tyson Gay’s 9.69 seconds. That’s the difference between the GOAT and the rest of the pack. To reach that requires a titanic effort.
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Achieving his personal best, Omanyala looks determined to continue his form. Heading to Oregon in a confident mood, he is ready to steal the headlines. Breaking the world record would be a dream come true for him, but the time set by Usain Bolt is just stunning. Do you think anyone can break the world record?
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