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Omanyala reveals why he struggled at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games
10th August, 2026 11:07 AM
Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, has opened up about his season achievements, targets, and the details behind his recent performance at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Speaking to a local TV station on Monday, August 10, 2026, Omanyala, who finished a distant sixth to end his campaign disappointingly, revealed that he had been managing a minor injury setback prior to the race.
The African sprint king was on top form heading into the event, racing to five sub-10-second runs, including an explosive season-best run in the Diamond League victory in Xiamen, China.
However, he was unable to replicate that fine showing against a competitive contingent of African and global stars in Scotland, falling short of the qualification places in the blue-riband sprint event.
“I stepped on track and snapped my heel afterwards; we were just managing it before I experienced the worst condition for me: the rains. I never like rain, and the moment we stepped out, it was raining,” Omanyala said, reflecting on his dismal run in Glasgow.
He also explained how the wet track conditions work against powerful sprinters who rely heavily on generating good traction with the surface.
“When it is soggy, and the track is wet, it does not give back the energy that you put into the ground. When it’s soggy, it absorbs the energy back into the ground, and it was not a great factor,” he noted.
Beyond the physical and environmental hurdles, Omanyala revealed that logistical challenges severely impacted his campaign, as key members of his backroom staff were unable to secure documentation in time.
Visa challenges
“It affected me in a way, but the biggest thing is we did not manage to travel with my coach and physio due to issues with visas. In camp, we did not manage to travel with my coach and physio, which was a bit of disappointment again. There was an issue with visa selections,” he added.
Despite the difficult outing, the Kenyan star maintained a note of sportsmanship, offering warm congratulations to Nigerian sprinter Kayinsola Ajayi, who won the semi-final race.
“I did not want to put that in perspective, as I had my other team with me. Congratulations to the guy who won—a great friend who never had the last two seasons go well, but good to him,” Omanyala concluded.
Omanyala made history at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham when he clocked 10.02 seconds to claim the men’s 100m gold, becoming the country’s first winner of the event in 60 years.
