Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, endured a frustrating outing on Sunday at the 2026 Paris Diamond League (Meeting de Paris) held at Stade Sébastien Charléty in Paris, France, where he finished sixth in the men’s 100m race in 10.02 seconds.
Omanyala, who is preparing for the upcoming Glasgow Commonwealth Games scheduled for July 23 to August 2, was hoping to continue building momentum as he seeks to defend the 100m title he won in Birmingham in 2022.
The Kenyan sprinter lined up in one of the strongest sprint fields of the season, featuring top stars such as Noah Lyles, Trayvon Bromell, South Africa’s Akani Simbine, Canada’s Andre De Grasse, Great Britain’s Jeremiah Azu, and Italy’s former Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs.
American Trayvon Bromell won the race in a season-best 9.91 seconds, narrowly edging compatriot Noah Lyles, who finished second in 9.92 seconds.
Marcell Jacobs completed the podium after clocking a season-best 9.96 seconds, while South Africa’s Akani Simbine finished fourth in 9.97 seconds.
Another American sprinter, Anthony Jordan, also dipped below the 10-second mark to finish fifth in 9.99 seconds, leaving Omanyala in sixth place with a time of 10.02 seconds.
Omanyala had started the 2026 season strongly, posting four sub-10-second performances. However, he appears to be struggling for form, having now gone seven consecutive races without breaking the 10-second barrier.
Attention now shifts to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in Scotland, where Kenyans will be hoping the sprint star can successfully defend the title he won in Birmingham four years ago.