Visa delays leave Omanyala, Team Kenya in World Champs trouble

Ferdinand Omanyala is among the few members in Team Kenya experiencing visa delays and thus yet to travel to the United States for the Word Athletics Champions, Oregon 2022.

Omanyala, Africa’s fastest man and a medal hopeful for Kenya at the worlds, shared his disappointment with just two days until the start of the global showpiece.

The African champion is among the athletes who will compete in the opening day of the championship in the men’s 100m heats with finals set for Saturday.

“Sad that I haven’t travelled to Oregon yet and the 100m is in two days. Visa Delays!!!” the sprint star wrote on Instagram.

A few others among them top ranking Athletics Kenya officials are yet to get their visas with a number of journalists also missing out.

Kenya is sending a contingent of 46 athletes to the event with the team flagged off yesterday by President Uhuru Kenyatta. 

Omanyala is the second fastest man this year after running 9.85 seconds to win the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi with American Fred Kerley the only man to run faster when he posted 9.83sec at the US Trials in June.

A source privy to the operations at Athletics Kenya revealed that the Ministry of Sports is currently engaging the US consular in order to hasten the issuance of visa for the team.

The team started leaving for the US in batches on Monday night.