"Dear Ferdy...": Omanyala’s Wife Sends Moving Message As He Aims for History in Budapest

When Africa's fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, takes to the track on Sunday(August 20) to compete in the 100m of the World Athletics Championships, he will be carrying the hopes of an entire nation and continent by extension.

And most importantly, he will be out to make his wife, Laventa Amutavi, proud for the umpteenth time. Omanyala owes a great deal of his success to his wife, who held the fort down when it appeared that his love and passion for the sports wasn't going to pay.

But against all odds, the 27-year-old will line up in Budapest not as just another guy to fill up the lanes but as one of the favourites. No African has ever finished in the podium places of the 100m world title of the World Championships, let alone win it.

History, is that you?

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Open letter to Omanyala

Sports Brief caught up with a pensive and excited Amutavi. She will be in Budapest in person this weekend to cheer on the Commonwealth Champion. The mother-of-one sent out a message to her husband as she highlighted the significance of these championships to them, the rollercoaster of emotions and what she hopes will happen at the end of it all.

Dear Ferdy,

We have been waiting for this for so long. Every preparation this year has been geared towards this moment. It just feels overwhelming, amazing, scary, and optimistic. It's a mixture of emotions, excitement, confidence, anxiety, everything.

This is it. All the hard work, all the pain, all the sweat - this is it. Baby, I know you're ready, I know you have been preparing, I know you've been focusing. I know the hard work you've put into the details. The work that you've put into the tiny, tiny details that people tend to overlook.

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I have seen the determination in your eyes, I have seen the determination in how you have trained, how you've worked, how you have prepared, how you have sacrificed to make everything possible and smooth to this moment.

I just want to say I have confidence in you and we've had confidence in you. You are the most mentally prepared person I've ever met. Even when things seem not to work, you always find a way to make them work. And for this competition, I have seen nothing but a sharp, focused, mentally prepared and God-chosen person in you and I know that it's going to be a shiny medal.

I am praying that you have an easy and smooth qualification for the final. For the finals, I am hoping for a medal. The colour of the medal, I do not know. But what is for sure from your journey this year - the Diamond League series and all the races you've done and the times you have posted - it's very realistic to hope for a medal. Your execution during the race will determine the color of the medal and above all what God has written for you.

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I know and hope the medal you'll get will be gold. It will be shiny and beautiful because you are the golden boy and I am sure gold would look so, so good on you babe.

To Kenyans, I just want to thank you so much for the support, for the love. I have seen nothing but support, I have seen nothing but prayers from from fans all over the world, people whom we don't even know . We see your messages on social media. We see your prayers and we know that you are praying for him and we just want to say thank you.

Ferdy, you are a history maker, go make history. Go do what God has sent you to do. I am praying that God uses you to bring Kenya, a country not known for producing elite sprinters, worldwide fame.

This is it.

Take it from us - moments don't come any greater than this.

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Making of Omanyala

Amutavi has previously disclosed Omanyala's journey over the years. She explained to Sports Brief that her love story with Omanyala began in July 2016 when they met during company games in Nakuru, a city northwest of Kenya's capital, Nairobi.

It hasn't been an easy journey, but luckily, the fruits of their perseverance and hard work are slowly paying off.

Who will Omanyala face in Budapest?

Omanyala will line up against a solid list of world-beaters led by the defending champion, Fred Kerley and World 200m champion, Noah Lyles, among others.

He is the second-fastest man in the world this year, further reinforcing his belief in a positive result on Sunday.

Sports Brief had earlier looked at the fastest times in the men's 100m this year and how it compares to Omanyala's.