Kenyan sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala has received a heartfelt message from Olympic 100 metres men’s champion Marcell Jacobs after his electrifying win in the just concluded Kip Keino classic.
This comes after Omanyala visited the towering Olympic champion at Uhai Neema Hospital in Nairobi where he was hospitalized for suspected food poisoning.
“Congratulations on your race. I wish I had been there to race with you. Thanks for coming to visit me. Thanks also to your family and to all the wonderful people there,” Jacobs said.
The Italian was to face the Kenyan sprinter for the first time at the Kip Keino Classic at the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani on May 7, but was hospitalized for gastrointestinal problems.
Omanyala and Jacobs faced off in the 60-metre race during the World Athletics Indoor Tour in Lievin, France on February 17.
Once fit enough to race Jacobs is scheduled to compete in a 200m at the meeting in Savona, Italy, on May 18.
Jacobs will thereafter expect to compete in a five-star 100 m on May 28 at the Diamond League meeting in Eugene, Oregon, where the World Championships will take place in July.
Omanyala on the other hand stormed to the World Athletics Continental Gold Tour event in a world-leading time of 9.85 seconds and could meet Jacobs in the Diamond League season which gets underway on May 13 with the Doha leg in Qatar.
The University of Nairobi student and police officer currently holds the African record of 9.77 seconds he set when finishing second at last year’s Kip Keino Classic behind American Trayvon Bromel.