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Africa's fastest man will have to contend with extra competition following the addition of the World silver medallist to Friday's race in Italy.
Ferdinand Omanyala will have to contend with further competition at the Florence Diamond League on Friday following the eleventh-hour addition of world silver medallist Marvin Bracy to the stellar line-up.
A rematch of the full men’s 100m podium from last year’s World Championships in Oregon is on the menu after Bracy was added to the list following the late withdrawal of Olympic 100m champion Marcell Jacobs from his home Diamond League meeting on Tuesday.
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13:30 - 31.05.2023
ATHLETICS Omanyala narrates how travelling 'alone' to international assignments affects him
He will be hoping to bounce back when takes on the tough field that awaits him in Florence.
Jacobs’ withdrawal put on hold a highly anticipated duel with Fred Kerley but organisers immediately took the opportunity to turn lemons into lemonade by inviting Bracy to fill the vacant lane.
Kerley (gold), Bracy (silver) and Trayvon Bromell (bronze) completed a memorable US shutout of the podium in front of their home crowd in Oregon last year and will go again in Florence.
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07:06 - 31.05.2023
ATHLETICS Familiar foes for Omanyala in Florence after home favourite Marcell Jacobs pulls out again
The Italian Olympic champion will not be fit to feature in the Florence Diamond League on Friday.
Bracy warmed up for Friday’s showdown by clocking a season’s best 9.93 at the Meeting de Montreuil in France on Wednesday.
“9.97 and 9.93 today. It just took a lil time. Montreiul thanks for having me I will be back for sure. Florence see you in the morning,” Bracy said via a Twitter post after the race.
Jacobs has now withdrawn from his past two scheduled starts, in Rabat and Florence, due to an ongoing back problem.
However, Italy will be represented by the surprise European indoor 60m champion Samuele Ceccarelli, who defeated Jacobs in that race and will be hoping to carry his career-best indoor form to the outdoor track this year.
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12:20 - 30.05.2023
ATHLETICS Michael Olunga offers loving shoulder to sprint star Omanyala
The next port of call for Omanyala is the Diamond League Meeting in Florence, Italy on Friday, June 2.
The top two African sprinters, Omanyala and South Africa’s Akani Simbine, will add further interest to the showdown.
Omanyala currently tops the performance list for this year with his 9.84 clocking at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi, just ahead of Kerley’s 9.88 at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix in Yokohama, but Kerley won their first direct meeting for the year in Rabat last weekend.
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10:21 - 30.05.2023
ATHLETICS Fred Kerley finally responds to Marcel Jacobs' withdrawal from Rabat clash
Over the 100m in Rabat, Kerley reigned supreme with a dominant 9.94 as he cut the tape ahead of Akani Simbine and Ferdinand Omanyala.
Africa’s fastest man is hoping to avenge the loss in Rabat but it will not be easy given the caliber of runners set to square it out in the Italian city.
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