Omanyala and Odhiambo set for sprint showdown at ASA Grand Prix opener

Commonwealth Games 100m champion Ferdinand Omanyala at a past event. (Capital FM)

By Erick Kariuki
Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Ferdinand Omanyala kicks off his international season with a high-stakes sprint showdown against compatriot Mark Odhiambo at the ASA Grand Prix opener in Tshwane. With World Championships qualification on the line, Kenya’s top sprinters will battle South Africa’s finest in a thrilling contest on 12 March.

Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, is set to clash with his key Kenyan rival, former national record holder Mark Odhiambo, at the ASA Grand Prix series on 12 March. The World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger meeting will take place at Pilditch Stadium in Tshwane, South Africa.

Omanyala, who skipped the indoor season, began his 2024 campaign on a murram track in Thika barely two weeks ago. His race in Tshwane will mark his first competition on track this season. While he enters as the pre-race favourite, he faces stiff competition from Odhiambo, as well as former South African 200m champion Luxolo Adams and 32-year-old Emile Erasmus, who is eager to make an impact in his comeback season.

Both Omanyala and Odhiambo are expected to lead Kenya’s charge for qualification in the 100m and 200m for this year’s World Championships. The qualifying standards stand at 10.00 seconds for the 100m and 20.16 seconds for the 200m, adding further significance to their performances in South Africa.

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In the women’s middle-distance events, Prudence Sekgodiso headlines the 1,500m race as she returns to home soil after setting a new South African short-track 800m record (1:59.88) on the European indoor circuit last month. A fierce battle is expected in the 800m, where Charne Swart aims to build on her impressive form after clocking a personal best of 1:59.86 at an Athletics Gauteng North league meet earlier this month. She will have to contend with Botswana’s Oratile Nowe, who represented her country at the Paris Olympics.

Meanwhile, in the field events, former world champion Luvo Manyonga continues his comeback in the men’s long jump. He will face a strong challenge from Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Jovan van Vuuren.

With top-tier athletes across multiple disciplines, the opening leg of the ASA Grand Prix is set to deliver thrilling performances as competitors chase early-season victories and qualification standards.