Omanyala, Simbine and Lyles set for Paris showdown

After a below-par performance at the FBK Games in Hengelo, Netherlands, last Sunday, where he finished fifth in 10.13 seconds, Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala will return to action this Sunday, June 28, 2026, at Stade Charléty in Paris, France, where he will compete against some of the world’s top sprinters at the Paris Diamond League (Meeting de Paris).

South Africa’s Akani Simbine, who won in Hengelo after clocking 10.08 seconds, will once again challenge Omanyala in Paris alongside American Noah Lyles, who dominated the Rome Diamond League on June 4, winning in 9.88 seconds ahead of Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme (9.94) and Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo (9.95). Omanyala had a disappointing outing in Rome, finishing eighth in 10.11 seconds.

“I am glad we are going to do a rematch in Paris because in Rome I had issues at the blocks and didn’t really come out at 100 per cent,” Omanyala said earlier during the national trials held last Saturday in Nairobi.

“I am looking forward to seeing how it’s going to be,” he added.

The star-studded Paris 100m field will also feature Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme, Britain’s Jeremiah Azu, Italy’s Lamont Marcell Jacobs, and Americans Jordan Anthony and Trayvon Bromell.

Africa’s fastest man, Omanyala, still tops the Diamond League standings with 16 points, while South Africa’s Gift Leotlela is second with 15 points and American Kenneth Bednarek sits third with 11 points.

Men’s 100m Entries – Paris Diamond League

1️⃣ 🇺🇸 Jordan Anthony

2️⃣ 🇬🇧 Jeremiah Azu

3️⃣ 🇺🇸 Trayvon Bromell

4️⃣ 🇨🇲 Emmanuel Eseme

5️⃣ 🇮🇹 Lamont Marcell Jacobs

6️⃣ 🇺🇸 Noah Lyles

7️⃣ 🇰🇪 Ferdinand Omanyala

8️⃣ 🇿🇦 Akani Simbine