Ferdinand Omanyala Blanks BBC Sports Journalist at World Indoor Championships

• Ferdinand Omanyala handed a journalist an uncomfortable interview
• His attention was taken away by replays of the 60m race he had just run
• Omanyala missed the podium by a whisker, placing fourth in Glasgow

Ferdinand Omanyala weirdly left a journalist hanging during a post-match interview at the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Glasgow.

Omanyala led Team Kenya's team at the three-day event, which kicked off on Friday, March 1. The African champion over the 100m distance was in action in the 60m.

He made light work of his fourth heat, crossing the line with 6.53 seconds to book his spot in the semi-finals. The 28-year-old, however, had an uneasy moment after replays showed that he had strayed out of his line and stepped onto the path of Brendon Rooney.

World Athletics Rules often frown upon lane infringement, and Omanyala was worried about disqualification. It was adjudged that he ran in a straight line, and neither did he block anyone; thus, he was cleared to proceed.

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Omanyala's awkward interview

Just after the race, BBC Sports journalist Jeanette Kwakye approached the Commonwealth Champion for quick reactions to the race.

Kwakye's questions were, however, met by a distracted Omanyala whose eyes were on the screens, rewatching the race he had just run. The journalist repeated the question, but the African 100m record holder kept his eyes on the screen in what makes for awkward viewing.

Omanyala grimaced after footage showed him stepping on the other lane before crossing the finish line. He then turned to Kwakye and addressed the incident.

"I didn't realise it at that time. That was a mistake."

Omanyala finished second in his semi-final heat behind Noha Lyles but agonizingly failed to make it to the podium places in the final. He finished fourth behind Christian Coleman, Lyles and Jamaican Ackeem Blake.

Focus now shifts to the outdoor season, where he is expected to grace the Kipkeino Classic in Nairobi next month and a couple of Diamond League races before the 2024 Olympic Games.

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Benson Kipruto wins Tokyo Marathon

Sports Brief has also reported that Benson Kipruto won the 2024 Tokyo Marathon on March 2. Kipruto broke Eliud Kipchoge's course record time, running 2:02:16 to win his third marathon major.

Kipchoge finished a lowly 10th - the lowest he has ever finished in his career. Timothy Kiplagat and Victor Ngetich finished in second and third place, respectively.