•The Kenyan sprint sensation says he is awaiting invitations to make a statement with a streak of masterstroke performances.
•Omanyala will be aiming for a spot on Team Kenya during Trials ahead of the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
Image: KELLY AYODI (MEDIA TEAM)
African record holder and Commonwealth 10o0m champion, Ferdinand Omanyala has vowed to blaze a trail this season when he makes his Diamond League debut.
The Diamond League season-opener is set for May 5 in Doha, Qatar and it is part of the 14 best invitational meets that make up the annual track and field athletics series.
The Kenyan sprint sensation says he is awaiting invitations to make a statement with a streak of masterstroke performances.
He will be hoping to emulate the 9.69-second world record set at the Diamond League in August 2012 by Jamaican Yohan Blake in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Omanyala, 26, began limbering up for the big stage at Miramas Metropole Meeting in France on February 4 and is currently in en route to the Meeting Mondeville in the Northwestern European nation, where he will dare his opponents to an abrasive duel in the 60m-dash.
Omanyala said he purposely chose to compete in the 60-meter sprint in an effort to sharpen his starting strategy and increase his speed.
"I can polish up my block starts in France because the 60m is all about the dash speed,” Omanyala said.
"My strength is in the last 50 meters, so I want to use the indoor meets to work on the first half of the stretch."
"So far, I've been running fast times in training and my top-end speed has definitely increased. I'm happy to say my race has really improved on both ends. I am currently running faster than I did in June and July of last year, which indicates significant improvement."
"I am looking forward to a great season. It will be a perfect platform for training because the facilities in France are definitely great and I have access to so much," Omanyala said.
Prior to wrapping off his tour of France on February 15 in Lievin, the University of Nairobi Chemistry student who recently joined the National Police Service will attend the Paris Indoor Meeting on February 11.
Omanyala has already planned his year's strategy and warned his rivals to get ready for a rigorous battle on the track as he seeks to elevate his status in the competitive sprinting stage.
"I am looking forward to another successful season. This year, I want to accomplish three primary things. My sights are set on winning the World Championships, the Diamond League, and smashing the African record," he declared.
And after demonstrating his aptitude as a world beater in the 100m sprint, Omanyala declared he would like to take on another thrilling challenge in the 200-meter event, where he hopes to break the existing national record of 20.14.
"This season, I'll really concentrate on the 200m races and possibly compete in international meets.
Omanyala will be aiming for a spot on Team Kenya during Trials ahead of the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
"Afterwards, I'll take a break for about a month before departing for a training camp in South Africa," he concluded.