Ferdinand Omanyala, Girlfriend Head to Watamu for a Week's Vacation after Good Season on Track

• Ferdinand Omanyala said he would take time to unwind with his lovely girlfriend, Laventer Mutavi, and son after a record-breaking season
• The short distance runner said he would reciprocate the love and care his girlfriend gave him when he was broke
• He has set his eyes on breaking Jamaican Usain Bolt's 9.58s world record, a feat he said he can achieve in less than a year

African 100m record holder Ferdinand Omanyala is set to treat his family to a week's vacation in Watamu, south of Malindi, after an excellent season on track.

The short distance runner said he would take time to unwind with his lovely girlfriend, Laventer Mutavi, and son after a record-breaking season.

"I will be on a one-week vacation in Malindi, Kilifi County with my family," The Standard quoted him.

World record

The sprinter has set his eyes on breaking Jamaican Usain Bolt's 9.58s world record, a feat he said he can achieve in less than a year.

Family treat

The 25-year-old said he would reciprocate the love and care Laventer gave him when he was broke.

Omanyala disclosed he lived in Huruma, Nairobi, before becoming a sprint sensation in Africa and beyond.

The sprinter hailed his girlfriend for supporting him when he was training "with no goals" for six months.

According to Omanyala, his lady used to foot the rent and bills and set some money aside for his dreams.

"For me, the pandemic was a blessing in disguise because I trained for six months."

"I was training without goals and we had no money but thanks to my girlfriend as she was paying the rent and bills because she was working. She would bring money to the table and allocate some to my training, rent and food," he revealed.

Spectacular season

Months after his solo training sessions and Omanyala's efforts have borne fruit as he is currently the fastest man in Africa and eighth on the quickest list of all time globally.

The jovial athlete who had a spectacular season since his impressive show at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics sealed a second-place finish on home soil during the Kipkeino Classic held at Kasarani Stadium.

He finished behind American Trayvon Bromell, the winner of the race, with veteran Justin Gatlin having to contend with a place in third.

By clocking 9.77s, he broke the Kenyan record for the fifth time and shattered the African record previously held by South Africa's Akani Simbine.