This archive report was first published on 27 July 2021.
Published on July 27, 2021, two Kenyan sprinters, Ferdinand Omanyala and Mark Otieno, are gearing up to defy the odds at the Tokyo Olympics.
Kenya's dominance in middle and long-distance running has long been a given, but Omanyala and Otieno are determined to change perceptions that the country cannot compete in sprint events.
"Most of the people in the world don't believe that Kenyans can sprint, but we are changing that slowly," Omanyala said, who holds the national record with 10.01s and qualified at the Kenyan Olympic trials last month.
Despite facing a 14-month doping ban from the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya imposed in 2017, Omanyala is confident in his abilities and is looking forward to breaking 10 seconds at the Games.
"It doesn't matter what kind of sub-10 it will be - 9.60, 9.50, I will receive it," he said, with Bolt's world record standing at 9.58.
For his part, Otieno is taking a more cautious approach, focusing on reaching the final and seeing who will take the medals.
"I am looking forward to reaching the final and to seeing who is going to take the medals," he said.
