Kenyan sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala on Sunday set a new continental record when he clocked 14.89 seconds in the 150m race to emerge third in the inaugural Atlanta City Games in Georgia, the United States.
He now breaks the African record of 14.99 seconds, which was set by Namibian sprinter Frankie Fredericks in 1993.
American sprinter Lyles Noah bagged first position in the 150m race in the Atlanta games after clocking 14.56 seconds.
Noah’s compatriot, Erriyon Knighton, completed the race in 14.85 seconds to take the first runner-up position.
Omanyala had bolted in a spirited fashion but lost towards the end of the race.
This marks the first time the 27-year-old is taking part in the 150m race, away from his 100m forte.
The African record-holder now returns to Kenya for the highly-anticipated Kip Keino Classic on May 13.
In 2022, he won his first international championships, with victories in the 100m race at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and African Championships in Athletics.
On September 18, 2022, he set 100m African record after clocking 9.77 seconds in Nairobi.
