Kenyan sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala failed to qualify for the men's 100m final at the 2024 Paris Olympics, finishing eighth in his semi-final with a time of 10.08 seconds, behind Jamaica's Kishane Thompson (9.80) and USA's Fred Kerley (9.84).
In a statement on August 5, Omanyala expressed gratitude for the support from Kenyans and optimism for the future, believing the Kenyan sprint story has changed forever.
Despite high hopes and excitement around his participation, Omanyala faced tough competition and did not secure either automatic or non-automatic qualification for the final.
The 100m final was a historic race with Kishane Thompson and Noah Lyles both clocking 9.79 seconds, requiring a photo finish that declared Lyles the gold medalist.
Other notable performances included Akani Simbine winning heat two in 9.86 seconds, followed by Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo (9.91), and defending champion Larmont Marcell Jacobs securing third with 9.92 seconds.
Jacobs announced his retirement from the 100m, expressing mixed feelings about his performance but looking forward to focusing on the 4×100 relay.
In the first semi-final, Oblique Seville from Jamaica edged out Noah Lyles, finishing first in 9.80 seconds, while Lyles advanced to the final with a time of 9.83 seconds, and Great Britain's Louie Hinchcliffe secured the final slot with 9.87 seconds.