Omanyala roars to 100m victory in Hengelo, Ogazi third in 400m
Africa’s fastest man and second fastest in the world this year, Ferdinand Omanyala scorched to a 10.01 win at the Fanny Blankers-Koen Games, a World Athletics Continental tour gold in Hengelo, Netherlands on Sunday.
The Kenyan sped home first ahead of USA’s Ronnie Baker (10.03) and Canada’s reigning Olympics 200m champion, Andre de Grasse (10.07).
Omanyala who stormed to a 9.79 personal season’s best last month in Nairobi will feel he is now ready to take on the world and win Kenya’s first medal in the 100m event at the Olympics.
In the men’s 400m, Samuel Ogazi of Nigeria placed third in his first race in the European circuit. The 18 year old ran 45.35 behind Botswana’s Kebinatshipi Busang Collen who ran 45.29 to win with Germany’s Bredau Jean Paul second in 45.30.
Since he ran 44.52 to win the 400m silver at the NCAA outdoor championships last month, Ogazi has failed to replicate that form, running 45.47 to win bronze at the African Athletics Championships last month in Douala, Cameroon.
