- Omanyala is yet to win a race this season
- He says he is building up slow towards the Olympic Games
- The Kenyan 10,000m team for the Olympics will be selected here
African record holder Ferdinand Omanyala will battle out with USA’s sprint king Chris Coleman on home soil, when they face off at the Prefontaine Classic, in Eugene, Oregon, the fifth stop of the Diamond League.
Omanyala has started his season on a slow footing, first finishing a disappointing fifth at the Kip Keino Classic, and last week was second at the Atlanta City Games.
However, the reigning African champion says he knows he is on the right track, and is not worried at all with the slow progression in his season.
“I said it at the start of the season, we don’t want to go out too strong at the start of the campaign and then be burnt out when it’s most important. The goal this year is the Olympics and we want to progress step by step so that by the time we get there, I will be at my peak,” Omanyala said.
He added; “I am not worried at all because we are going as per the schedule and plan I have with the coach.
Omanyala faces stiff competition
Ferdinand Omanyala competing at the Monaco Diamond League. (Photo- Ferdinand Omanyala/Twitter)
Also lining up in Eugene to compete with Omanyala on Saturday night will be Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake and Ghana’s Benjamin Azamati.
Meanwhile the men and women’s 10,000m races in Eugene, which will not be part of the Diamond League program, will be used by Athletics Kenya to select Kenya’s team for the Olympic Games.
Athletics Kenya said they decided to select the 10,000m team ahead of the Kenyan trials to be conducted in July, to give them ample time to prepare.
The women’s field is expected to include 2023 world outdoor bronze medalist Beatrice Chebet, who is currently ranked second globally in the 5,000m and a two-time world cross country champion, Emmaculate Achol, who placed fourth at the 2024 world cross country championships.
Also lining up in Eugene will be Grace Nawowuna, who is currently ranked eighth in the world over 10,000m and has a personal best of 29:47.42 over the distance. The Olympic qualifying standard for the women’s 10,000m is 30:40.
The men’s 10,000m include Daniel Simiu Ebenyo, the 2023 world outdoor silver medalist currently ranked number one in the world over 10,000m as well as Samwel Chebolei, who has a personal best of 27:10.06 in the event.
Also seeking a place on the plane to Paris will be Benson Kiplangat, the 2021 world U20 champion and 2024 world cross country bronze medalist. The Olympic qualifying standard for the men’s 10,000m is 27:00.
“We are thrilled that Athletics Kenya has once again chosen The Prefontaine Classic to host the selection event for their 10,000m Olympic team,” said Pre Classic co-Meeting Director Jody Smith.
“Pre Classic is committed to bringing the world’s best athletes, and the world’s best athletics competitions, to Hayward Field. Hosting the selection event for such a prestigious team is fully aligned with that commitment.”
More Kenyans to compete in Eugene
Reynold Kipkorir celebrates with Daniel Kimaiyo after winning the Men’s 1500m at the World Athletics U20 Championships at Pascual Guerrero stadium on August 3, 2022 in Cali, Colombia. (ERICK BARASA)
Meanwhile, in the Diamond League events, youngsters Jackline Chepkoech and Faith Cherotich will line up in the women’s steeplechase, as they look to continue their build up towards the Olympics.
It will be a stacked field in Eugene, with reigning world champion, Kenyan turned Bahraini Winfred Yavi also competing as well as Kazakh Norah Jeruto.
Teresia Muthoni will meanwhile be the lone Kenyan in the women’s 10,000m, as most will be focusing on the Olympic qualification event.
In the women’s 1500m, Susan Lokayo will be the only Kenyan in the field. Reigning world and Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon had earlier been scheduled to compete at the Pre-Classic, but a minor injury means the world record holder will delay her first competition of the season.
In the women’s 800m, reigning world champion Mary Moraa will be on her second Diamond League duty of the season, having competed at the start of the month in Doha, Qatar, winning in a measured performance.
Perennial competitors Keeley Hodgkinson of the USA and Natoya Goule of Jamaica, will be in the field to challenge.
Elsewhere, Reynold Cheruiyot and Abel Kipsang will compete in a stacked field in the bowerman’s mile, where most of the attention will be on Briton Josh Kerr and reigning world champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen.
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