Ferdinand Omanyala (right) wins his 200m heat in the third Athletics Kenya Track and Field Meeting, held on January 26, 2024 at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi.

What You Need to Know:

  • Many anticipate that Team Kenya skipper Ferdinand Omanyala would deliver a medal in the men’s 60 meters, which is packed with some of the world’s top sprinters.
  • Kenya is chasing its first win in the global indoors since Caleb Mwangangi exploits in the 3,000m at the global Athletics Indoor Championships held in 2014 in Sopot, Poland.
  • Omanyala has a strong competition that includes Noah Lyles, who is looking for an indoor crown after winning the outdoor world 100m and 200m titles, and Coleman, who is looking to reclaim the title he won in Birmingham in 2018 after settling for silver in 2022. 

Kenya might win its first medal Friday evening when the World Athletics Indoor Championships begin at the Commonwealth Arena in Glasgow, Scotland.

Many people believe that Team Kenya skipper Ferdinand Omanyala will win a gold in the men’s 60 meters, a competition that includes some of the world’s best sprinters.

Omanyala, 28, advanced to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Indoor Championships, where Italian Marcell Jacobs defeated Christian Coleman of the United States in a photo finish after both clocking 6.41, with Marvin Bracy (USA) taking bronze in 6.44.

The 60m heats take place at 4.10pm, followed by the semi-finals and final at 10.45pm and 12.45am, respectively.

Kenya is looking for their first global indoor triumph since Caleb Mwangangi won the 3,000m at the global Athletics Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland, in 2014.

This year’s competitions have attracted 651 entrants, including 331 ladies and 320 men. A total of 18 gold medalists from the previous championships will compete in Glasgow, hoping to win another worldwide crown.

Kenya won two medals at the 2022 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Serbia: silver in the 800m by Noah Kibet and bronze in the 1,500m by Abel Kipsang.

Omanyala is full of confidence as he takes the blocks, having built up some speed ahead of the event. The Commonwealth Games and Africa 100m champion won the Meeting de Paris on February 11 in 6.51 seconds, shaving 0.03 seconds off his own national 60-meter record.

Omanyala began his indoor season by winning the Elite Indoor Track Miramas Meeting on February 2 with a national record time of 6.52 seconds before shaving off 0.01 in Paris.

“I don’t want to make any predictions since my focus is on handling each event as it comes,” Omanyala said in a statement. “I have absolutely no expectations but my target is to execute well and I am looking forward to it.”

Omanyala has a strong competition that includes Noah Lyles, who is hungry for an indoor crown after winning the outdoor world 100m and 200m titles, and Coleman, who is looking to reclaim the title he won in 2018 Birmingham after finishing second in 2022 Serbia.

Ackeem Blake, 22, from Jamaica, is also in the field.

Lyles, 26, leads this year’s global ranking with a personal best of 6.43 set at the USA Indoor Championships in Albuquerque on February 17, defeating Coleman by 0.01.

Coleman set the world record of 6.34 in Albuquerque six years ago, and the reunion with Lyles, together with Omanyala and Blake, makes for a delicious combination.

Blake holds a personal best of 6.42 and timed 6.45 in Boston, placing only 0.01 behind Lyles and third in this year’s global rankings.

Japan’s Shuhei Tada, who has a personal best of 6.53 this season, is joined by Liberia’s Emmanuel Matadi and Britain’s Jeremiah Azu.

Kibet returns, hoping for better luck in the 800m heats at 3.22pm on Friday, where he will team up with Collins Kipruto, but the first Kenyans on the track are Vivian Chebet and Naomi in the women’s 800m at 2.40pm. The semi finals are scheduled for Saturday.

Reynold Kipkorir, the World Under-20 1,500m champion, and Vincent Kibet will also compete at 11.10 p.m. on Friday.

Team

 60 meters – Ferdinand Omanyala

 800 meters – Noah Kibet, Collins Kipruto (men), Vivian Chebet, Naomi Korir (women).

 1,500 meters – Reynold Kipkorir Vincent Kibet

 3,000 meters – Teresiah Muthoni Gateri, Beatrice Chepkoech

 Boniface Mweresa, Zablon Ekwam, Kelvin Tauta, and Wiseman Were comprise the 4x400m relay team.