Ferdinand Omanyala: Commonwealth Games Champion to Renew Rivalry With Simbine, Tebogo

• Ferdinand Omanyala will face off with Akani Simbine and Letsile Tebogo in the men's 100m race in the Monaco Diamond League
• No Kenyan has won a Diamond League Series event since Nicholas Bett achieved the feat in 2016
• Omanyala has been tipped to win the race, especially following the absence of American duo, Fred Kerley and Noah Lyle

Commonwealth Games 100-metre champion, Ferdinand Omanyala will take on South Africa’s Akani Simbine and Botswana's Letsile Tebogo in the men's 100m race in the Monaco Diamond League on Friday, July 21.

American duo, Fred Kerley and Noah Lyle will be absent at the event, which could become a historic one for the Kenyan sprinter.

No individual from Kenya has won the 100m race in the Diamond League Series since Nicholas Bett triumphed in the 400m hurdles in the Paris Diamond League in 2016.

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But Omanyala will face tough opposition from Simbine, who is currently in fine form, having won the Silesia Diamond League in 9.97 on Sunday in Poland.

Fresh from winning the 200m race in Lausanne (20.01), Tebogo is also eager to prove himself among the 100m bigwigs. Omanyala said, via Nation Africa:

"It’s my prayer that I return home with the world title and Diamond League Trophy. I am in better shape than ever, and victory is beckoning."

Asked about Simbine's victory against Kerley in Silesia, he added:

"Nobody is invincible."

Omanyala drops to 3rd place

Meanwhile, Omanyala has ceded third place in this year's Diamond League Standings after Akani Simbine won the Silesia Diamond League on July 16.

Simbine beat the reigning World 100-metre champion, Fred Kerley, with a photo-finish in Poland to register his second successive victory this year.

The cumulated results saw him rise to the top of the table with 28 points, supplanting Omanyala, who was still at the top just before the Silesia race.

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Omanyala confident ahead of Championships

Sports Brief earlier reported that Omanyala has become one of the best sprinters in the world and is looking to cement that in August at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Hungary.

He comfortably qualified for the event and will face stern competition from the Americans as he seeks to win one of the most important titles in his career.

Kenya is known for their middle and long-distance running, producing world-beaters for decades. Omanyala will make history if he beats defending world and Olympic champion, Fred Kerley to win gold in Budapest.