Nairobi — African file holder Ferdinand Omanyala says he comes into the 2024 season with a distinct mentality, saying he has shifted his focus fully from large targets and lofty ambitions to taking every race at a time.
Omanyala, chatting with Capital Sports activities, says he learnt powerful classes from final yr’s World Athletics Championships in Budapest which humbled him, having walked in to the Hungarian capital with an ambition of successful a stacked 100m race.
“No predictions. Simply taking a race at a time,” Omanyala stated, as he spoke of his season’s plans.
He provides; “This yr I’m going in with a distinct mentality. I do not wish to provide you with folks an excessive amount of expectation like in Budapest. I’ll simply wait and take every race at a time.”
“It’s a powerful lesson that I need not go a lot forward of myself and deal with every race because it comes. I do not wish to put an excessive amount of strain on myself however quite take every race because it comes after which we see what we will do that yr,” the speedstar additional says.
On the World Championships in Budapest, Omanyala made the ultimate for the primary time ever, however could not battle to get into medal prospects regardless of travelling with a lot expectation and confidence.
This yr, similar to he did in 2023, Omanyala begins off with the indoor season, with two races in France earlier than going for a brief coaching camp in Germany.
The larger goal, as is with each athlete, is the Olympic Video games in August.
“I’m taking every race because it comes. As at now, the main target is on the 2 indoor races after which the World Indoor Championships. My goal is to get the execution proper in each race. No predictions, let’s simply wait and see,” a quite reserved Omanyala states.
He has began his season competing in endurance races on the Athletics Kenya Observe and Area meets, doing the 400m within the first meet and final weekend did the 200m, a race which he hopes to be extra distinguished on this season.
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He clocked 20.42 and 20.46 in his two races, and says he feels in good form.
“I’ve by no means run a 20.4 in January so positively I really feel higher. The goal was to run under 20.5 and I’m glad we achieved that. I really feel I’m higher within the 200. The worry of the curve is gone. Final time I pulled my calf within the bend however now I really feel comfy working the bend. I believe that is the very best pre-season,” Omanyala says.
There was speak that he’s trying to double in each the 100m and 200m heading to the Olympics and regardless of taking part in his playing cards near his chest, he was in need of confirming the identical.
“This yr I will probably be going into extra 200m races. I’ve watched earlier races from final yr and we’ll continue learning from them. It is a new area for me and I’m going more durable this time however I’ve to see how its carried out and get it like I’ve within the 100m. I’ve to go in with the identical mentality and attempt to do sub-20 in all races,” Omanyala explains.
He begins off his aggressive season with the Miramas Indoor meet on February 2, earlier than travelling to Paris on the eleventh for the second meet. He then travels to Germany for a brief camp and can journey again to Nairobi to warmth up preparation for the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow from March 1-3.