Omanyala to face Kerley, Jacobs and Bromell at Wanda Diamond League
Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, the world’s fastest man this year is set to go head-on with world champion Fred Kerley and Tokyo Olympic Games gold medallist Lamont Marcell Jacobs in Rabat and Florence Diamond League meets respectively.
Omanyala who is in top shape is buoyed by his recent descent shows in various races including last weeks victory on home soil where he flowed world athletics 100m silver medalist Marvin Bracy of USA, clocking a world lead of 9.84 at the Absa Kip Keino Classic.
In a press conference in Nairobi last Friday, Omanyala, 27, noted with absolute confidence that he is going to win every race he competes in this year, seemingly caring less on the level of competition he will be facing in the third and fourth of the lucrative Diamond League this year or even the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August.
His steadfast confidence could arguably be based on the fact that he has already tested the waters by facing both the world champion Kerly of USA and the Olympic champion Jacobs from Italy.
Last year, again in Nairobi, Omanyala produced a remarkable performance that saw him dismantle Kerly at the Kip Keino Classic in time of 9.85 while the American settled for a second place after clocking 9.92.
The Commonwealth Games champions over the distance trounced Jacob in France on 15 February during The World Indoor Tour meet. Omanyala set a new national record in 60m after registering a time of 60.54 seconds.
When asked about the level of test he going to face in Rabat,Morocco and Florence, Italy,Omanyala has remained adamant that he sees no game in the listed athletes perhaps viewed as a potential litmus test for the Kenyan sprint star.
“There are no people (competition) there. I have already faced them and beat them and currently we are not looking at the history regarding what they won last year, no. But also personally I don’t look at competitors in a race, I am just focusing on myself and racing against time. My main goal this year is to win every race and no one is going to beat me,” Omanyala said.
On the concern of a probability losing shape before the main agenda that is winning a gold medal in Budapest, Omanyala says he scheduled his training towards the goal and to him every competition is equally important.
