Omanyala off to a flyer after qualifying for semis in thrilling World Championships showdown

ATHLETICS Omanyala off to a flyer after qualifying for semis in thrilling World Championships showdown

Abigael Wafula 21:00 - 19.08.2023

Omanyala, who was in Heat Two, put up a good fight starting out from the blocks in a steady way and comfortably raced to the finish line and clocked 9.97.

Commonwealth Games champion Ferdinand Omanyala has cruised to the 100m semifinal at the ongoing World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Omanyala, who was in Heat Two, put up a good fight starting out from the blocks in a steady way and comfortably raced to the finish line and clocked 9.97 behind American Noah Lyles.

Lyles proved unbeatable and cut the tape first in 9.95 to also qualify for the semifinal scheduled for Sunday, August 20. Nigeria’s Usheoritse Itsekiri sealed the podium after clocking 10.17.

In Heat One, world leader Zharnel Hughes won the race in 10.00 and was closely followed by Jamaica’s Ryiem Forde and Nigeria’s Seye Ogunlewe. 

In Heat Three, Dutchman Raphael Bouju won the race in 10.09 as Great Britain’s Eugene Amo-Dadzie finished second in 10.10. Liberia’s Emmanuel Matadi completed the podium in 10.13. 

Others who will promise stunning shows in the semifinal include Botswana’s sprint sensation Letsile Tebogo and defending champion Fred Kerley who finished second in his heat.

Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs of Italy and South Africa's Akani Simbine also made the cut to the semifinal and will also be vying for a slot in the final.