D-Day for Omanyala as Kenya’s hopefuls in the women’s 800m and men’s 1500m aim to make final

After winning his heat comfortably in Round One of the 100 metres at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games on Saturday, Kenyan sprint sensation Ferdinand Omanyala, who is ranked 4^th best worldwide in 2024 on the World Athletics Rankings for sprinters competing in the 60-metre and 100-metre races, did not make much his victory.

The African record holder stated that his main aim yesterday at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Paris, was to introduce himself, have some fun, and not burn himself ahead of the real business on Sunday when the semifinals and the final of the Olympic Games’ blue ribbon event take place.

The semifinal starts at 21:05 pm EAT but Omanyala, who has the second fastest time (9.79s) in the event this year, will not race until 21:23 pm EAT when Heat Three starts.

Looking at the line-up of Omanyala’s heat confirms that his assertion yesterday that the real business starts on Sunday night as he is scheduled to compete against Canada’s Andre de Grasse (Tokyo 2020 bronze medalist), Benjamin Richardson of South Africa (5^th fastest time in the world in 2024, 9.86s), Fred Kerley of the USA (Tokyo 2020 silver medalist), the Jamaican Kishane Thompson (fastest time in the 100 metres this year, 9.77s), and Zharnel Hughes of Great Britain (2023 World Championships bronze medalist) for a place in the final.

The other athletes in that star-studded heat are the Japanese Abdul Hakim Sani Brown, Abdul-Rasheed Saminu of Ghana, and Puripol Boonsoon of Thailand, who though do not go into the race with so many accolades, carry the potential to cause an upset.

The top two finishers in each of the three heats qualify automatically for the final scheduled to start at 10:50 pm EAT. The six will be joined in the final by the two athletes with fastest finishing times.

Despite being one of the fastest athletes in the 100 metres this year, Omanyala, speaking after his race yesterday, stated it counts for less going for the race as only winning a medal matters.

“All these times that we have run this year do not matter. What matters is the medals people will be wearing around their necks,” Omanyala said.

The 28-year old also expressed satisfaction with the event organisers scheduling them to race at 8 pm CET (the local time in France) as it gave them enough time to sleep and prepare for the race.

“I am happy that the race is at 8 pm as it allows time for rest and recovery as well as getting good sleep,” Omanyala said before adding that part of his rest and recovery included taking an ice bath and getting a massage.

Omanyala also commented on the disqualification of British athlete Jeremiah Azu during the heats after the 23-year old made a false start. The Kenyan made a call for the organisers to consider giving athletes second chances if they make a false start.

“I hope that one day they will revert to the old rule, a warning before disqualification for a false start. However, rules are rules and we have to abide by them for now,” Omanyala said.

Before 2003, an athlete making a false start would be allowed another start and would only be disqualified after a second false start. Between 2003 and 2009 (inclusive), if there was a single false start, then the whole field would be warned, and the original offender would be allowed a second start. If anyone made a false start on the second start, then they would be disqualified (even if they did not false start the first time). Since 2009, the offending athletes have been immediately disqualified.

Omanyala, who failed to reach the final at the last Olympic Games in Tokyo three years ago, will be hoping for a change of fortune this time round having come of age.

“So many things have happened in three years. There have been Commonwealth titles, African titles, and Diamond League wins. Three years is a long time and it is enough for an athlete to grow,” he said.

The following are the line-ups for the other 100 metres semifinals.

SEMIFINAL ONE: Favour Ashe (Nigeria), Rikkoi Braithwaite (British Virgin Islands), Benjamin Azamti (Ghana), Noah Lyles (USA), Louie Hinchliffe (Great Britain), Oblique Seville (Jamaica), Emmanuel Eseme (Cameroon), Chituru Ali (Italy), and Shaun Maswanganyi (South Africa).

 SEMIFINAL TWO: Reynaldo Espinosa (Cuba), Emmanuel Matadi (Liberia), Ackeem Blake (Jamaica), Letsile Tebogo (Botswana), Akani Simbine (South Africa), Kayinsola Ajayi (Nigeria), Kenneth Bednarek (USA), Lamont Marcell Jacobs (Italy), and Joshua Hartmann (Germany).

Kenya’s youthful 1 500 metres debutant duo look up to for Uncle Tim for guidance as they hope to make final

Also in action tonight for Team Kenya is the country’s trio in the men 1500 metres semifinals – Brian Komen, Reynold Kipkorir Cheruiyot, and Timothy Cheruiyot.

The first semifinal, which will feature Komen and Kipkorir, will start at 22:10 pm EAT and will also feature world champion the Briton Josh Kerr and the Olympic champion, Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigsten. The first six athletes in each semifinal will qualify for the final which will take place on Tuesday, August 6.

Cheruiyot, a silver medalist at the last Olympic Games in Tokyo three years ago, will compete in Heat Two which will start at 22:20 pm EAT.

Speaking after their heat races on Friday during which they managed to perform well enough to qualify for the semifinals without needing to negotiate the repechage round, Komen (25) and Kipkorir (20), who are making their Olympic Games debut, hailed the impact of Timothy Cheruiyot in guiding them as they hope to make the final.

The duo has nicknamed Cheruiyot “Uncle” to affirm his veteran status as well as acknowledge his experience competing in many international events.

“Timothy has a lot of experience and he gives us helpful advice. He wishes us the best for us and that is why we call him “Uncle”,” Kipkorir said after his heat race on Friday, hinting at the brotherhood and camaraderie among Kenya’s men’s 1 500 metres team mates.

Women’s 800 metres: Chebet, Moraa, and Odira hope to make final

Also hoping to make the final in their respective event are Kenya’s representatives in the women’s 800 metres – reigning world champion Mary Moraa, Lilian Odira, and Vivian Chebet.

While Moraa and Odira made the semifinals by finishing in the top three positions in their heats on Friday, Chebet qualified for the final after registering with fastest time among athletes who did not win their heats in the repechage round on Saturday. On Friday, Chebet was relegated to the repechage after finishing 5^th in her heat.

There is no repechage round for those who fail to qualify automatically for the final.  Only those who finish in the top two positions in their semifinal will qualify for the final where they will be joined by the two athletes registering the fastest times despite not finishing in the top two of their semifinal.

Kenya’s trio in this event will compete in different heats, meaning that any strategy that requires teamwork will have to wait until the final, if they all make it.

The first semifinal, which will feature Moraa, will start at 21:35 pm EAT. Chebet will be in the second semifinal which starts at 21:45 pm EAT. Odira will compete in the third semifinal which starts at 21:55 pm EAT.

The final of the event will be on Monday 5 August.

Bow for Ekwam

Today’s action on the athletics track will also feature an appearances by another debuting Kenyan competing in the heats of the men’s 400 metres.

Zablon Ekhal Ekwam, who will compete in the 400 metres, will be hoping to qualify for the semifinals automatically by finishing in the top three positions in Heat Six, which will be the last heat race of Round One of the 400 metres. Ekwam’s race will start at 20:45 pm EAT, just 40 minutes after the first heat race. Athletes who do not finish in the top three positions of their respective heat races will have to compete in the repechage round on Monday, August 5, for a chance to qualify for the semifinals.