Ferdinand Omanyala: Africa’s Fastest Man Enjoys Festive Season at the Maasai Mara National Reserve

• Ferdinand Omanyala is enjoying the festive season in style
• Africa’s fastest man and his family visit the Maasai Mara
• The Kenya Tourism Board sponsored the three-day holiday

Africa's men's 100m record holder and Commonwealth Games champion Ferdinand Omanyala is taking a well-deserved holiday retreat at Maasai Mara, courtesy of the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB), as he prepares for an intense Olympic year.

Omanyala, currently the ninth-fastest man on the all-time list, is using this Christmas break to rejuvenate after a challenging training season.

KTB Ag. CEO John Chirchir thanked Omanyala for his outstanding achievements, elevating Kenya's standing in short-distance running globally.

"Omanyala is among Kenyan athletes who have excelled in track and field, showcasing Kenya on the world map. From being Africa’s fastest man in the 100m race to securing Kenya's first gold medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, there’s much to celebrate," Chirchir says, as reported by Pulse Sports.

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Highlighting the board's commitment to using sports as a platform for tourism promotion, Chirchir mentioned that this gesture is a way of rewarding sports stars and enhancing the country’s destination appeal through their athletic achievements. He noted that the positive exposure generated by athletes like Omanyala contributes to Kenya's global competitiveness.

Looking forward to the sporting calendar of 2024, Chirchir stressed the opportunity it presents to market Kenya globally. With events like the Paris Olympics in July and other tournaments, KTB aims to rally behind athletes as ambassadors, projecting Kenya’s brand to millions worldwide.

Additionally, Chirchir mentioned upcoming events in the first quarter of 2024, such as the Magical Kenya Ladies Open in Vipingo and the Magical Kenya Open at Muthaiga Golf Club in March, which will provide further avenues to showcase Kenya's diverse tourism offerings to a global audience.

“We want to leverage on this and rally behind our athletes to ensure that they give their best as they are great ambassadors of our country, projecting Kenya’s brand in the eyes of millions of people around the world,” he is quoted on KBC.

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Omanyala earned the title “Africa’s fastest man with a record of 9.77 seconds at the Absa Kip Keino Classic in 2021.

Omanyala focused on 2024 Olympics

Sports Brief previously reported that the Kenyan sprinter has been ramping up his training, and he has big goals for his second Olympic games

Africa's fastest man reached the semi-finals of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and has solidified himself as one of the best sprinters of his generation in the last few years.

However, he underperformed in the 2023 World Athletics Championships in August, finishing second last in a time of 10.07.