At the Athletics South Africa (ASA) Grand Prix II in Johannesburg on Wednesday, Ferdinand Omanyala, Africa’s fastest man, stormed to victory in the 100 meters and recovered to record his first global triumph of the season.
The 29-year-old African record holder won in 10.08 seconds by bringing in homeboys Bradley Nkoana and Tsebo Matsoso.
Matsotso finished second in 10.12 seconds, ahead of global U-20 medallist Nkoana, who finished third in 10.16 seconds.
In 10.30 seconds, Omanyala’s countryman Mark Odhiambo finished fifth, while Sinesipho Dambile of South Africa finished fourth.
After finishing third in 10.22 seconds in the ASA Grand Prix I in Pretoria last Wednesday, behind 18-year-old Karabo Letebele and fellow South African Emile Erasmus, Omanyala, the reigning Commonwealth Games champion, had a difficult start to the new season.
This is his last race in South Africa before returning to Kenya to get ready for the Botswana Golden Grand Prix in Gaborone on April 12.
He will be making his first trip back to Botswana since 2023, when he defeated Letsile Tebogo, a native athlete and the 200-meter champion of the 2024 Paris Olympics, in 9.78 seconds.
