Africa's 100m record holder Ferdinand Omanyala has withdrawn from Tuesday's World Athletics Continental Tour Gold event in Ostrava, Czech Republic, due to an abdominal strain sustained during training, his manager confirmed.
Omanyala announced his decision on Monday, prioritizing preparation for the Africa Senior Athletic Championships scheduled for June 8-12 at Cote d’Or National Sports Complex in Reduit, Mauritius. His manager, Marcel Viljoen, explained the injury occurred after a race in Germany, advising against further competition to avoid aggravation.
Golden Spike Ostrava race director Alfons Juck confirmed Omanyala's withdrawal, noting the athlete had previously skipped other meets. Viljoen added concerns about a lingering issue during training sessions.
Viljoen emphasized the decision was made to protect Omanyala's health ahead of the continental championships. "We were concerned about some niggle during his starts. It's not worth the risk with less than two weeks to the African Championships," he said.
Omanyala, who recently competed in Europe, will return home for treatment. "All is well and I now want to preserve my energies for the Africa event," he stated. The sprinter's fastest time this year remains 9.85 seconds, set at the Kip Keino Classic in May.
Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake, who holds a 9.69-second personal best from 2012, is the fastest in the Ostrava field. Omanyala's absence creates opportunities for other competitors in the event.
