In the form of his life! – Omanyala beats Olympic champion to set new National, African record – Capital Sports

NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 15 – For the second time in a week, Kenyan sprint sensation Ferdinand Omanyala has shattered his own record, chipping off a hundredth of a second as he won the Lievin World Indoor Tour meet in France in a new national and African 60m record, clocking 6.54secs.

Omanyala edged out Olympic champion Marcell Lamont Jacobs to clinch the crown with a powerful burst in the final half of the race.

The Italian who has battled injury and fitness issues since winning in Tokyo 2020 timed 6.57 at second place with Ivorian Arthur Cisse third timing 6.59.

Omanyala had a slow step off the blocks, with Cisse and Jacobs gaining a yard ahead of him but once he hit the 50pc mark and raised his head, there was no stopping his break neck acceleration.

The Kenyan had shown signs of some good form heading into the final as he easily breezed past his heat in 6.58. It was the third victory for Omanyala in his tour of France, having lost only in his first race in Miramas, where he lost out to Cisse.

Last week, Omanyala ran a national record of 6.55 in Mondeville, his third stop of the Indoor season, but he has now chalked it off some more.

He comes back home confidence sky-high and motivation on top of his game ahead of the start of the outdoor tour with the Nairobi leg of the Athletics Kenya meets coming up at the end of the month.