Kenyan sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala’s campaign at the Paris Olympics came to an unexpected end as he failed to qualify for the 100m final.
Omanyala, the reigning African champion, finished eighth in the semifinal heats held on Sunday night at Stade de France, clocking 10.08 seconds.
The semifinals saw Jamaican sprinter Kishane Thompson lead the race with a time of 9.80 seconds, securing the fastest position heading into the finals.
USA’s Fred Kerley followed closely, clocking 9.84 seconds to also advance to the final round.
South Africa’s Akani Simbine and Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, alongside Jamaica’s Noah Lyles and Seville Oblique, will join Thompson in the final lineup.
Noah Lyles, who has been vocal about his sprinting prowess and his ambition to follow in Usain Bolt’s footsteps, struggled with a slow start in his semifinal.
He finished second behind Jamaica’s Oblique, who recorded 9.81 seconds, while Lyles clocked 9.83 seconds.
Italy’s Marcell Jacobs, the surprise 100m gold medalist from the Tokyo Olympics, narrowly secured his spot in the final, where Thompson will enter as the fastest qualifier.
The absence of a US winner in the 100m event since Justin Gatlin’s triumph at the 2004 Athens Games continues as Julien Alfred of St. Lucia upset the favorite Sha’Carri Richardson in the women’s 100m final on Saturday.
As the final approaches, Lyles faces the challenge of improving on his previous performances to claim the title he has long aspired to.
