African 100m record holder Ferdinand Omanyala has returned to training and says his main target is to win the 100m title at the 19th World Athletics Championships next year in Budapest, Hungary.
Omanyala, the reigning African and Commonwealth Games champion was one of the athletes tipped to ruffle some feathers at the World Championships in Oregon, USA last July but a combination of factors including late issuance of entry visa ensured he did not get past the semifinal stage.
The 26 year old believes he peaked too early when he ran 9.85 seconds in May at the Kip Keino Classic at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi, Kenya.
The time was the fastest time in the world until the USA duo of Fred Kerley (9.76s) Trayvon Bromell (9.81) ran faster at the World Athletics Championships two months later.
“I want to do something different this time around so as to hit the peak at the right time, which should be at the world event in Budapest,” Omanyala was quoted as saying by Kenya’s Daily Nation.
Omanyala says he will adopt a different training programme this time and also skip the indoor season.
“I will give the World Indoors tour a miss this time around,” said Omanyala who ran his 6.57 seconds 60m personal best in February this year in Lievin, France.
The Kenyan wants to return to Diamond League action next year after missing out in 2022 and competing only once in 2021 (at the Allianz Memmoria in Brussels, Belgium).
“It’s my wish to open my Diamond League in Doha on May 5,” said Omanyala.
