Ferdinand Omanyala, Africa’s fastest man, settled for third place in the men’s 100m final at the 2025 Kip Keino Classic held at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi.
In a tightly contested race before a passionate home crowd, Omanyala clocked 10.07 seconds, falling behind Australia’s Lachlan Kennedy, who won the race in 9.98 seconds, and South Africa’s teenage sensation Bayanda Walaza, who finished second in 10.03 seconds.
The shock victory by the 21-year-old Kennedy marked a breakout moment in his sprinting career, silencing the Nairobi crowd and further intensifying the global competition in men’s sprinting.
“It wasn’t the result we hoped for, but we keep pushing,” Omanyala told reporters post-race.
This marks another near miss for the Kenyan sprint star, who has struggled to find winning form in 2025 despite several podium finishes on the Diamond League circuit. Omanyala, who was aiming for his second win of the year, now faces increased pressure as the season builds toward the World Athletics Championships.
Walaza’s strong showing confirms the emergence of a new generation of African sprinters giving Omanyala a run for his money in the continent’s 100m scene.
Despite the disappointment, fans turned out in large numbers to support Team Kenya, with the Kip Keino Classic once again cementing its place as a premier stop on the global athletics calendar.
