The spirit of sportsmanship is alive and well between Kenyan sprint rivals and
have risen to prominence in a discipline where Kenya is not traditionally dominant.
While the nation is celebrated for its long-distance and middle-distance legends, such asand the sprinting scene features only a few standout names.
Chief among them are, and his closest Kenyan competitor, Mark Otieno.
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South Africa’s Akani Simbine clocked a world leading time to edge out Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix.
Despite being rivals on the track, Omanyala and Otieno have consistently demonstrated mutual respect and support for one another.
This was clearly on display following their dispaly over the weekend at the Botswana Grand Prix, where clinched victory.
with a season-best time of 10.22 seconds.
Following the race, Otieno took to X (formerly Twitter) to celebrate his performance, posting, “10.22. Progress 🙌🏿🇰🇪.”
However, the celebratory tone was briefly disrupted when a fan praised Otieno by insulting Omanyala, writing, «Keep it up until you dethrone that low-budget weightlifter pretending to be a runner.»
Otieno swiftly defended his rival, replying, “Nah, this ain’t it 👎🏿.”
The gesture highlighted the mutual admiration between the two, proving that while they may compete for individual glory, they share a bond that transcends competition, a quality Kenya will need as it looks toward the 2025 World Relays.
According to, Omanyala and Otieno are set to team up for Kenya’s 4x100m relay team at the upcoming World Relays.
The squad also includes Isaac Omurwa, national trials 100m champion Meshack Babu, Moses Onyango Wasike, and Steve Onyango.
With their growing chemistry and unwavering sportsmanship, the Omanyala-Otieno partnership could be a game-changer for Kenya’s sprint ambitions on the global stage.