Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala said Thursday he has given up on competing at the World Athletics Championships in the United States because of a delay in getting a visa. The 26-year-old Kenyan sprinter had been hoping to shine in the 100m at the championships that open on Friday in Eugene, Oregon.
“I have given up my trip to Oregon. Even if I am given a visa today it’s too late,” a bitterly disappointed Omanyala told AFP.
He had been due to compete in the 100m heats on Friday but lost a race against time to secure his US visa and travel to Oregon — a trip of about 24 hours or more.
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“It would mean booking flights which can only be possible at night and the race is on tomorrow. It’s not possible,” he said.
“There’s nothing I can do. It’s been my longest day of waiting and I don’t like waiting.”
Omanyala had said in a recent interview with AFP that he had set his sights on at least reaching the final of the 100m in Oregon, targeting a time of 9:6.
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If he had made the podium there, it would have been a historic first for an African runner.
Namibia’s Frankie Fredericks twice won Olympic silver in the 100m in the 1990s, but his one gold and three silvers in the World Championships were all over 200m.
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Photo Credit: Getty