Olympics
Africa’s Fastest Man Ferdinand Omanyala Reinforces a No-Promise and No-Expectation Policy at Paris 2024 Olympics
Ferdinand Omanyala, Africa's fastest man, adopts a no-promise, no-expectation policy for the Paris 2024 Olympics to reduce pressure and focus on performance.
Image Credits: LUIS TATO/AFP via Getty Images
In the world of Athletics, Kenya is renowned as a powerhouse in middle- and long-distance races. However, the country is quickly morphing into a sprint juggernaut, following the emergence of the 100m racer, Ferdinand Omanyala.
The Continent’s Fastest Man
He is Kenya’s fastest sprinter who has produced enviable performances at both individual and international levels. Amongst his notable wins include bagging the Commonwealth and African Championship titles in 2022 as well as the Monaco Diamond and the Kip Keino Classic league titles in 2023.
Besides these glaring achievements, the 28-year-old father of two who works in the disciplined forces, achieved a historical milestone by being the first Kenyan to ever make it to the final of the World Athletics Championships in 2023.
Paris 2024 Prep
This athlete who has a remarkable record of being the ninth fastest man in the history of the 100m race spoke to SportsBoom.com in an exclusive interview.
He revealed his prospects and strategy with regard to the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics.
Reflecting on his performance in the most recent races, Omanyala confirmed that he is indulging in intensive training schedules.
He has made a few tweaks to his training routine. For instance, he has adopted a new approach that entails delaying the peak.
Image Credit: LUIS TATO/AFP via Getty Images
New Approach
Omanyala’s approach this season has entailed making no promises and participating in fewer events to avoid the disappointment he experienced at the World Championship after performing poorly, yet he had promised otherwise.
His new approach has been instrumental in releasing off pressure and as result, he is able to prepare for the Paris Olympics effectively.
According to Omanyala, “The biggest lesson I have learned is that it is not always about emerging a winner. Rather, the most important thing is maintaining focus and embracing the race without pinning expectations on it.”
Ferdinand Omanyala’s adoption of a flexible strategy and an open mindset seems to have been driven by the pressure and expectations that have been heaped on him in past events. By not offering targets, making promises, or feeding expectations, he is guaranteed of less pressure and more focus on his training. His motto for this season, particularly regarding Paris is, “Let’s see what happens.”
Omanyala clearly seeks to raise the Kenyan flag high in the men’s 100m race in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Despite showcasing his prowess and dominating varying races and competitions in the past, his decision to employ a subtle and non-domineering approach seems to be fruitful thus far, given his recent trail-blazing wins in recent 2024 competitions.
Although he hopes to outperform his rivals at the Olympics and end the season strong, he treads carefully to avoid disappointments by not making promises or setting expectations.
Training and Performance
“My decision to select carefully moments to peak is working in my favour, as I prepare for the Paris Olympics,” he told SportsBoom.com.
Africa's fastest man Omanyala noted that he was looking forward to participating at the FBK Games held in Hengelo, Netherlands on July 7, 2024. He emerged victorious by recording a 10.01 win, ahead of Ronnie Baker of USA (10.03) and Andre de Grasse of Canada (10.07).
The sprints at the Paris Olympic Games are undoubtedly going to be competitive but Omanyala asserted that his focus is not on his contenders.
“I will take one step at a time to ensure that I get to the final and most importantly qualify for a medal.”
His objective is to complete the race successfully and ultimately fall into the medal bracket.
“I will handle the race as it comes, first heats, then semis and finally finals.” Omanyala’s focus is also anchored on maintaining good health.My main goal is getting there healthy and fit to handle each race. Being healthy is the most important aspect for me right now.”
Following the Hengelo Games victory, Ferdinand Omanyala has joined Team Kenya in France, where they are engaging in pre-Olympics preparations at the Miramas training camp.
Ian Mugo Wanyeki is based in Nairobi, Kenya. He is a sports enthusiast with vast knowledge of different sport disciplines. Ian is a graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Kenyatta University. He is a Kenyan journalist who’s worked as a sports analyst at Covenant Television Network, as a sports reporter at NTV and as a Sports Correspondent/contributor at Quartz Africa.