Ferdinand Omanyala explains why he changed coaches ahead of Olympic Games

ATHLETICS Ferdinand Omanyala explains why he changed coaches ahead of Olympic Games

07:46 - 16.12.2023

Ferdinand Omanyala has shared the reason why he stopped working with former coach Duncan Ayiemba and chose Geoffrey Kimani.

Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala changed coaches at the end of the 2023 season and curious fans wanted to know the reason behind his bold move.

The 27-year-old was initially working with Duncan Ayiemba but started working with Geoffrey Kimani after the 2023 track and field season came to an end.

Speaking to Olympics Kenya, he explained that his 2023 season had a lot of downs in performance and professionalism, leading him to make a bold move. He added that time was not on his side and he had to come up with a decision quickly. 

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“Coming into the 2023 season, there were a lot of downs in terms of performance and professionalism so that’s why I came out and changed my coaches towards the end of the season because time is moving and I’m not getting any younger," he said. 

"We needed to make a difference and I chose a coach that I have worked with before during the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games."

The Commonwealth Games champion disclosed that coach Kimani was the man he was working with when he posted his first sub-10 performance.

Omanyala ran his first sub-10 during the 2021 International JOSKO Laufmeeting, just after the 2020 Olympic Games. He clocked 9.96 to win his heat before winning the final in 9.86.

“After that, I ran my first sub-10…what we did during the seven-week camp before Tokyo was a great thing and I wanted to relive those moments and get to start with him on a ground level. That is why I changed my coaches and I’m excited about that,” Omanyala said.

He added that he has been burning the midnight oil in training to ensure that he is fully ready for the season. During the 2024 season, Omanyala explained that from February to September, he will be competing and that’s why he will be keen to take his off-season seriously.