Omanyala’s dream to reach Olympics final dashed

Ferdinand Omanyala's hopes to make history as the first ever Kenyan to reach the Olympics 100m final were extinguished on Sunday as the fastest man in Africa placed a distant eighth in the semifinal at the Stade de France in Paris.

Omanyala, who arrived in Paris as the second fastest man in the world this year, clocked 10.08 seconds to finish second last as poor took off ghosts returned to haunt the Kenyan in the tension-packed semifinal.

Fastest man in the world this year Kishane Thompson of Jamaica won the heat in 9.80 seconds becoming the fastest qualifier with USA’s Fred Kerley coming in second with a season best of 9.84.

The Jamaica’s hot favourite will line up in the Sunday’s 10:50pm final against the USA trio of Noah Lyles, Kenny Bednarek and Fred Kerley, reigning champion Marcell Jacobs of Italy, South Africa’s Akani Simbine, Letsile Tebogo of Botswana and Jamaica’s Oblique Seville.