•Omanyala clocked 10.07 in the men's 100m semi-final to punch his ticket to the final
•Day One of the championship was largely a successful one for Team Kenya
•The final for the men's 100m is slated for Thursday at 1610 hours
Image: HANDOUT
African 100m record holder Ferdinand Omanyala says he is focused on running his own race in a bid for the continental 100m title at the Senior Africa Athletics Championships in Reduit, Mauritius.
Omanyala clocked 10.07 in the men's 100m semi-final to punch his ticket to the final as Namibian Maseko Gilbert (10.15) and Mauritius' Noa Bibi (10.24) finished second and third respectively.
"It was a good race...10.07 is a very good time. So now my focus is on the finals, on the finish line because when you fix your mind on the competitors, you will end up running their race," Omanyala said.
The national record holder was in scintillating form, starting the day off by timing 10.05 in Heat 1 of the race as Nigerian Raymond Ekevwo (10.11) and Stern Liffa (10.33) finished second and third respectively.
Omanyala expressed his satisfaction with the track at Cote d'Or National Sports Complex, hopeful that many records will be broken at the five-day continental showpiece.
"The weather looks great even though it was initially rainy. The track is very fast and this gives a perfect opportunity to break the championship record of 9.94. Making it to the finals means a lot to me because I am hungry for a medal. I am the African record holder but I am yet to win a medal," he said. The final is slated for Thursday at 1610 hours.
Day One of the championship was largely a successful one for Team Kenya as various athletes secured passage into the next stage in their respective races.
Elias Ngeny and Nicholas Kiplagat earned qualification to the next stage after A-class performances in their respective heats in the men's 800m.
Ngeny timed 1:47.16 to claim first place in Heat 1, ahead of Ethiopian Bodena Tolesa (1:47.32) and Moroccan Oussama Nabil (1:47.82) in second and third respectively.
Kiplagat clocked 1:50.20 in Heat 5 to finish second behind winner, Moroccan Slimane Moula who timed 1:50.10 as Ugandan Emmanuel Osuje (1:50.63) came third.
In the women's 100m, national record holder Maximila Imali finished second in 11.50 in Heat 1. Gambian Gina Bass timed 11.36 in first place as Botswana's Louongo Matlahku came third in 11.59.
William Raiyan and Collins Omae also qualified for the next round of the men's 400m.
Raiyan timed 46.80 to finish third in Heat Four, behind winner, Zambian Kakozi Patrick (46.68) and second-placed Frederic Mendy (46.78) of Senegal.
Likewise, Omae finished third in the subsequent heat, timing 47.60 as Namibian Alexander Mahhad (46.49) and Nigeria's Sikiru Adeyemi (46.73) took the first two places.